We have new information regarding the world’s ocean pollution and who the main contributors are. Between 1880 and 2015, researchers have been able to now determine that nearly two-thirds of all carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions can be traced back to the products of 83 large producers of oil, coal, natural gas, and 7 cement manufacturers. The study was published in IOPScience and scientists based their studies on an energy balance carbon-cycle.
Between these companies, they accounted for a 57% rise in atmospheric CO2, a 26-32% of the rise in global sea level, and nearly a 42-50% of the rise in global mean surface temperature. Those highlighted include Saudi Aramco from Saudi Arabia, Chevron and ExxonMobile from the USA, and BP from the UK.
To make matters worse, since 1965, the top producing fossil fuel companies have not only been aware of the negative impact on the environment, they have been spending money to cover it up. The research finds that the 20 largest investor-owned companies and majority state-owned carbon producers alone, have contributed to 25.0% (±0.8) and 22.7% (±0.7), respectively, of the calculated decline in the surface ocean’s pH between 1880 and 2015.
Rachel Licker from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), commented on the findings:
We’ve known for several decades that burning fossil fuels is by far the largest driver of ocean acidification, but we weren’t able to track how much anyone fossil fuel company contributed to the problem, and in what way. Scientists can now quantify how much more acidic the ocean has become as a result of each fossil fuel company’s products.
The researchers examined the changes in regional patterns of surface seawater chemistry, changes in global ocean surface pH attributed to emissions, and studied five ocean regions using the regional patterns of surface ocean pH to test the acidity. The ocean’s surface water acid has increased more than 25% since 1880, the current pH of the ocean is being measured at 8.1.
In our seas, when CO2 and water mix, carbonic acid is created. The large amounts of carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans causes a huge increase in oceanic carbonic acid. Scott Doney, a biogeochemist from the University of Virginia explains the dangers:
The organisms at risk from acidification form the foundation of the marine ecosystem food chain – including some types of plankton, algae, shellfish, and coral that may struggle to grow and survive in a future warmer, more acidic ocean.
Professor Maoz Fine from Bar Ilan University has also done extensive study on the effect ocean acidification has on coral skeletons. In the study, he points out that coral cannot live in acidic conditions and that all sea life is sensitive to these conditions. The higher the pH levels, the more damaging the effect to the exoskeleton of the coral.
The UCS study concluded by stating:
Of these 88 major carbon producers, 48 are investor-owned fossil fuel companies whose climate responsibilities are the focus of growing policy, legal and societal scrutiny. Emissions from majority state-owned and nationalized companies fall within the primary responsibilities of nation-states. Emissions traced to extraction, refining, marketing, and combustion of fossil fuels by these 48 investor-owned companies between 1965 and 2015 account for 15.5(±0.6)% of global ocean acidification over the total historical period.
Peter Frumhoff, co-author and Director of Science and Policy at UCS, continues:
As impacts worsen and become more costly, frontline communities and affected industries are now calling on fossil fuel companies to take responsibility for their outsized contribution to the problem. Companies could have acted responsibly to inform the public about risks and taken actions to reduce emissions. They chose instead to disinform and delay. By putting a number on fossil fuel company contributions to disruptive ocean acidification, our study can inform decisions about their responsibilities for damages that could have—and should have—been avoided.
These recent findings go along with other research on our ocean’s dead zones, and we have a much greater understanding now about our human impacts on this, whether it’s on an individual level or large corporations. My hope remains because this information can no longer be hidden. It’s now up to the people to use their voice, and demand accountability. These companies are the richest in the world, now it’s time they invest some money to help the earth rather than destroy it.
