"Oceans cover 71% of the planet and contain 97% of the water on Earth. Beneath them, the highest mountains and deepest canyons provide homes for nearly 80% of life on earth. The oceans, by some estimates, absorb one-third of the carbon dioxide we emit each year while phytoplankton produce 50% of the oxygen we breathe. Meanwhile, seafood production is critical to global food security and poverty alleviation. Seafood provides 2.5 billion people with at least 20% of their average per capita animal protein intake each year and in many small island states and developing countries, people are even more reliant on food from the sea as their primary source of protein source and their livelihood.
Oceans, the lifeblood of our planet, are increasingly under threat by the steady and relentless pressures of humankind. As carbon emissions increase, so does the acidity of our ocean. The ocean has become 30% more acidic over the last two centuries and shellfish, coral and other animals are dissolving in the increasingly acidic seawater. Not only does ocean acidification threaten marine biodiversity, it compromises fisheries and aquaculture production and food security for the economies and communities that rely on a healthy, thriving ocean. Waste and trash contribute 8 million tons of plastic annually to our oceans further impacting ocean life as it decomposes. At the same time, population growth impacts important blue carbon ecosystems like seagrass and mangrove habitats further reducing oxygen contribution and carbon absorption capacity of our oceans.
But we can make a difference! Climate change, ocean acidification, overfishing, plastic pollution, coastal development are all man-made problems with man-made solutions. Acadia will journey to remote areas of the oceans to study, observe and report what we learn about ocean acidification, coral health, marine debris and blue carbon. Working with local scientists and ocean-dependent communities, we will work to elevate the importance of ocean health and promote the steps we all can take to improve it."
Mark Rohr SY Acadia
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