Red alarm level: The oceans reach dangerous acidity!

Red alarm level: The oceans reach dangerous acidity!

The future of our oceans is on the brink: Since 2020 we have exceeded the seventh "planetary border" of the ocean acidification, and the situation is alarming. These limits are clear auxiliary scales that define until where we can go without endangering the basic systems of our planet. Topics such as species death and climate change are particularly critical, but the acidification of the oceans now threatens to become a far-reaching threat to the marine ecosystems, such as the pieuvre reported.

The alarm bells do not only ring for air pollution or loss of biodiversity. Six of the nine planetary borders have already exceeded, and the extent of CO2 emissions has reached a critical point. According to a study published on June 9, 2025 in "Global Change Biology", the acidification of the oceans has reached the border to a dangerous level, which results in dramatic effects on the marine living environment, especially on marine animals with external skeletons or shells.

The consequences of the ocean acidification

We remember: The sea plays an essential role in the carbon cycle, because it usually absorbs about 30 percent of the CO2 emitted by humans. But our hectic way of life has overloaded natural absorption skills, which leads to a worrying increase in the acidity in the water. This problem becomes even more complicated by the classification of the ocean as a "sink" - it can no longer perform its task and therefore no longer act as a buffer against climate change.

The acidification not only leads to a weakening of the shells of molluscs and corals, but also influences the entire food chain in the sea. A healthy ocean is crucial for our own survival. This clearly shows the current research, which underlines that further irreversible damage threatens without quick countermeasures. The iaea works with state-of-the-art methods, including radio-based techniques, in order to better understand the biological effects of acidification.

global cooperation required

In order to master this threat, the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) has launched the International Coordination Center for Ocean Driving (OA-ICC) in order to bundle international research and make important data accessible. This cooperation aims to make evidence -based decisions that are necessary to combat ocean acidification. This includes courses carried out worldwide and the provision of data portals to promote the exchange of information and methods.

Awareness that this planetary border has long been exceeded is one of the central results of the first annual "Planetary Health Check", held by Johan Rockström from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). In addition to the worrying ocean acidification, there are also other critical conditions on the list: loss of biodiversity, chemical pollution and climate change are just a few of the challenges that have already been recognized as exceeded for our earth in the past. Data prove that even an immediate reduction in emissions is not sufficient to stop the acidification that has already occurred immediately, as in the Novethic Source) is.

The wave of sustainability begins in our everyday life - and every decision counts. It is time to work together to secure the health of our oceans before it is too late. There is no time to lose!