Mankind has ramped up its exploitation of marine ecosystems in recent decades, bringing the population of their inhabitants close to collapse. Climate change, which will most likely disrupt ocean circulation, continue to raise ocean temperatures and intensify ocean acidification, is supplementing this insane venture.
UNEP reports on the likely scenarios. Corals are being bleached and killed in massive quantities. Plankton and other carbon-fixing species are suffering from heat redistribution and acidification, threatening the basis for marine food chains. Climate related stresses will be amplified by continuing run-off from industrial agriculture and the resulting anoxia, which produces huge “dead zones” in which no species can survive.
It’s all very depressing. Even more depressing is the proposed remedy: “Mobilizing Finance for the Climate Challenge.” Asking the prime human predators – financial institutions and the super-wealthy – to “green” the global economy. The madness continues.
