Ocean acidification is a problem referred to in recent years as "The Other Carbon Dioxide Problem," as along with global warming it is an environmental impact factor on a global scale. This led in 2015 to its being one of the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call for efforts to "Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification." The Fifth Assessment Report of IPCC points out that if emission reduction measures of carbon dioxide aren't sufficient, ocean acidification might pose a serious risk to marine ecosystems. There are also predictive studies which indicate that areas suitable for reef-building coral will disappear from the seas around Japan by the 2040s due to the rise of water temperature and ocean acidification. At the same time, the predictions do contain uncertainties, so better understanding of the progress of ocean acidification and its impacts on marine creatures and marine ecosystems are urgent issues.

Taking these current situations into consideration, we have submitted the following proposals for inclusion in Japan's next Basic Plan on Ocean Policy.

Regarding the Proposals, please click the link below.

Proposals on the Ocean Acidification (PDF, 7.2Mbyte)