The ocean is on the front lines of climate change, and legislative solutions must include the adaptation and protection against the devastating affects of climate change, said Vikki Spruill, President and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. Sea-ice is melting, temperatures are rising, and ocean acidification is taking place as the water absorbs the excess carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere, she said in a statement in advance of the three-day hearing hosted by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Climate change is having serious impacts on our ocean. Ocean water is warming. On average, the ocean is a degree warmer than it was a century ago. Another two degrees will devastate many coastal communities, kill the world's coral reefs, and result in mass extinctions of marine life.
"Our ocean is also becoming more acidic. The ocean is full of tiny plants that absorb carbon dioxide and give back oxygen, but excess carbon dioxide in seawater has shifted the basic chemistry of the ocean, causing acidification. A more acidic ocean may pose a serious threat to coral reefs and might even halt the calcifying of shells of marine animals like lobster and clams," she said.
"Particularly vulnerable areas, such as the Arctic, need extra protection. The Arctic region is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. The Arctic is Earth’s air conditioner, and changes there affect us all. Industrial demands are growing in the region as sea ice melts due to climate change, but we must take a time out on rapid expansion of the Arctic, until we truly understand what the consequences of our actions will be. Congress has an opportunity to mitigate the damage from climate change by requiring a substantial reduction in greenhouse gases now. Congress can also help ocean ecosystems adapt to climate change, by strengthening laws on how we use the ocean, which will improve the health and resiliency of our ocean so it can withstand stress from climate change.
"Protections are critical. A healthy ocean is essential to our health and the stability of our economy. The ocean is the engine that drives our climate. It provides much of the oxygen we breathe and food we eat. Now is the time to act," concluded Spruill.
