Ocean Acidification

Like many other marine species, pteropods are threatened by ocean acidification © Cobbing/Greenpeace

Janet Cotter, from Greenpeace's Science Unit is currently on board the Esperanza on the first leg of the Arctic Under Pressure expedition. The ship is currently in Ny-Ålesund in the arctic, where Janet has been helping seagulls from 'contributing' to ocean acidification research.

In my day job, I work as a scientist as Greenpeace's Research Laboratories in Exeter, which is part of the Greenpeace's Science Unit. We might not get do the banner hanging from bridges and all the dramatic stuff that other Greenpeace activists do, but we have an important role in the organisation.  We analyse samples from around the world in our laboratories, often looking for toxic contamination of soils, rivers and seas, or sampling foodstuffs for GM contamination.

Ever wondered what this ocean acidification thing is? Wonder no longer, as this new animation from our international office explains everything you need to know in just over a minute. 

The basic upshot is that climate change is not just making the oceans warmer, it's also making them more acidic. It's only by a relatively small amount so you won't lose your toes if you go paddling, but the effects on the ocean's chemistry is dramatic. Most widely reported is the threat this poses to coral reefs - as the water becomes more acidic, the polyps aren't able to create the calcium carbonate skeletons which form the reefs.

The consequences travel up the food chain - watch the video to find out more.