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How does ocean acidification relate to climate change?

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Grinnell Glacier shrinkage — Climate change A series of photographs of the Grinnell Glacier taken from the summit of Mount Gould in Glacier National Park, Montana, in (from left) 1938, 1981, 1998, and 2006. In 1938 the Grinnell Glacier filled the entire area at the bottom of the image. By 2006 it had largely disappeared from this view.

Ocean acidification is a direct consequence of climate change, driven by the absorption of excess carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere into the oceans. As CO₂ dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, which increases the water's acidity and lowers its pH. This process reduces the availability of carbonate ions, essential for marine organisms like coral and shellfish to build their shells and skeletons.12

Furthermore, as oceans absorb more heat due to global warming, their capacity to store dissolved CO₂ decreases, potentially accelerating the buildup of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. This creates a feedback loop where warming oceans exacerbate both ocean acidification and climate change. The resulting changes in ocean chemistry threaten marine ecosystems and the food chains they support.312