14 DAY TRIAL // Although most people are fully aware of the fact that our heavily industrialized ways lead to considerable amounts of gas emissions being released into the atmosphere, very few know that some of these toxic chemical compounds are actually being absorbed by our planet's seas and oceans.
As a result, marine ecosystems find themselves threatened by ever more acidic waters.
Alarming reports indicate that, unless something is done as quickly as possible, by the year 2050 most ocean regions will no longer be coral-reef friendly.
Seeing how coral reefs stand at the basis of most marine ecosystems, housing about 25% of all ocean fish species, it is not difficult to guess that if they disappear, so will many other aquatic lifeforms.
Even those who are not big fans of environmental protection must understand that this could in turn lead to fishing industries being severely “crippled,” as fishermen might begin to more often than not find their nets almost empty.
Luckily, the UN recently announced plans to create a new researcher center in Monaco, whose goal will be that of coming up with ways to counteract ocean acidification: the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Center.
According to Tehran Times, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) representative explained how “during the past five years, numerous multinational and national research projects on ocean acidification have emerged and significant research advances have been made.”
He also added that “the time is now ripe to provide international coordination to gain the greatest value from national efforts and research investments.”
Rumor has it that the afore-mentioned Monaco research center will be up and running by the end of this year's summer.
From where we stand, odds are that the project will indeed be a successful one, especially given the fact that members of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission already announced their decision to support this endeavor.