2 December 2010: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), together with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has released a report titled “Environmental Consequences of Ocean Acidification,” which details how rising carbon dioxide emissions are altering the chemical balance of oceans.

The report outlines the consequences of this emerging issue on marine food chains and ecosystems, as well as human activities such as tourism and fishing. It also analyzes the effects of ocean acidification on global food security. The report describes how, as carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise, ocean acidification is rapidly becoming a critical issue with the potential, if unabated, to affect many species and ecosystems and the marine-based diets of billions of people worldwide. The report was released on the sidelines of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the UNFCCC, convening in Cancun, Mexico. [UNEP Press Release] [Report on Ocean Acidification]