Consequences of CO2 Emission

Consequences of CO2 Emission

1.Ocean Acidification --> What impact is this phenomenon having on marine organisms and ecosystems?

The ocean presently takes up one-fourth of the carbon CO2 emitted to the atmosphere from human activities. As this CO2 dissolves in the surface ocean, it reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, increasing ocean acidity and shifting the partitioning of inorganic carbon species towards increased CO2 and dissolved inorganic carbon, and decreased concentration of carbonate ion. Carbonate ions are used by organisms to make shells and reef systems thus it may be more difficult for organisms to do this in the future as carbonate ions decrease further. [3]

2. Ice Glaciers Melting

- As temperatures across the globe have gone upward, the rate of glaciers melting increases. When seen from outer space, the earth looks self-sufficient in its need for water; in reality it is just the reverse. Almost all this water seen from space is salt water; unfit for human use. Just over 2% of this water is freshwater that is fit for human use; and over 70% of this 2% make-up the earths glaciers. Many on earth depend on the melting water from glaciers for their fresh water supply through lakes and rivers. An ever-increasing human population and a rapidly decreasing glacier mass will lead to severe fresh water shortage in the near future. [5]

- Water from melting ice glaciers on higher altitudes will form rivers and be emptied into the sea. A lot of water that melts on sea-level glaciers gets emptied directly into the sea. The sea level is rising constantly at a rate of approximately 1mm to 2mm per year. Melting glaciers have a part to do with this rise. The faster glaciers across the globe melt, the more will be the increase in sea level. [5]