The Role of Oceans.

Latest Update 24th April 2020.
 
Oceans play an enormous unseen role in the planets ecosystem. All life on the planet originated there, and by emitting oxygen from the oceans, marine life created the atmospheric conditions which supported the evolution of life on land

This oxygen is still being released into the atmosphere and it is vital for the continuation of life on the planet. Most of the oxygen released into the air we breathe originates in the oceans and seas (about 90%) and is produced by marine plants and trillions of tiny one-celled organisms called Phytoplankton, who are the main players in the oxygen cycle.

Acidification of the oceans is increasing due to the rapid uptake of CO2 from an atmosphere overloaded with greenhouse gasses. It is threatening the existence of Phytoplankton.

Increasing absorbtion of CO2 by the oceans should lessen the rate of growth of atmospheric CO2, but if it results in reduced oxygen emissions from the oceans because of the demise of Phytoplankton, the result could be just as deadly, and harder to fix.

The oceans are the largest heat collectors on earth, and buffer the atmosphere from even more rapid increases in temperature. This heat doesn't go away, it gradually diffuses from the surface into the ocean's deeper regions. It effects the weather, increases surface evaporation and melts sea ice.

Although bush fires are attributable to atmospheric drying of vegetation and heat induced violent wind storms over the land, intense cyclonic (hurricane) activity is generated by localised elevated ocean temperatures. As long as we permit atmospheric CO2 concentrations to remain above 300ppm, the sea temperature will continue to rise and cause even more violent or more frequent cyclonic episodes into the future.

I believe rapid acidification of surface water in the oceans is our biggest existential threat. Even if we can halt excessive greenhouse gas emissions quickly, and sequester atmospheric CO2 down to pre-industrial levels, we may still retain dangerously high levels of heat and acidity in the oceans for some time.