Want to combat climate change? Take care of our oceans

Photo: A lobster fishing boat heads out to sea at sunrise from Portland, Maine. New 2018 data indicates that the Gulf of Maine, one of the fastest warming bodies of water in the world, is in the midst of an all-time hot stretch. Robert F. Bukaty AP

To avoid the worst consequences of climate change, state and business leaders, climate advocates and philanthropists must collectively recognize the vital role of the oceans when they gather this week for the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.

The oceans are warming and turning more acidic at alarming rates, threatening the physical safety, food security and livelihoods of Californians and people around the world. It is not too late to act, but time is of the essence.

Ocean ecosystems absorb roughly one-third of global carbon dioxide emissions and more than 90 percent of the planet’s additional atmospheric heat. This buffering role has been helpful, but it is changing the oceans in ways we can no longer ignore.

While the problems are complex and the approaches to address them may differ from place to place, the basic path to create a better future for our oceans and our climate is clear: Stop the activities that do the most harm and create incentives for the solutions that do the most good.

First, let’s […]

Full article: Want to combat climate change? Take care of our oceans

More about the world’s oceans:

Plastic degrading in the oceans release chemicals into the water

Oxygen Crisis in World’s Oceans

Dr. Sylvia Earle’s Wish? Protect our Oceans

Update: Remember the Young Man With a Plan to Rid Oceans of Plastic?