The Multi-Pronged Relentless Attacks on Our Oceans.

In short, ocean acidification is proceeding at a rate unparalleled during the last 300 million years, according to a peer-reviewed paper in the renowned journal, Science. 
An article at Phys.Org published 12 March 2025 is titled Eukaryotic phytoplankton decline due to ocean acidification could significantly impact global carbon cycle. Here’s the expansive lede: “Princeton University and Xiamen University researchers report that in tropical and subtropical oligotrophic waters, ocean acidification reduces primary production, the process of photosynthesis in phytoplankton, where they take in carbon dioxide …, sunlight, and nutrients to produce organic matter (food and energy).”

The two paragraphs above and the attendant video are from a blog post titled “Science Snippets: Priorities, Redux”
Take the time to drill down into all the embedded links to the original peer reviewed literature in Guy’s Substack post above.
Two years ago, Professor McPherson and I discussed the implications on the oceans of Japan dumping radioactive waste into the Pacific Ocean adjacent to the three crippled nuclear plants at Fukushima Daiichi. After huge in-depth analysis, TEPCO chose the cheapest option.
Fukushima Daiichi adds Insult to Injury for the Pacific’s Coral Reefs.

For anyone who would prefer to read than listen, everything Professor McPherson discussed above can be found at: As Overheated Ocean Continues to Warm, What Priorities Arise?
For this student of Jaques Cousteau watching the oceans getting raped and pillaged is bad enough without the threat multiplier of turning up the heat relentlessly for 300 years. 80% of the worlds coral reefs have been hammered by stress induced heating, acidification and fertilizer and other runoff. It takes about 15 years for a coral reef to recover from a bleaching event, clearly there will be no respite. I’ve added this analysis to my blog post on Jaques Cousteau, which I’ll drop below for further reference.
How Jaques Cousteau got me Addicted to the Oceans and why I’m Grieving.

“Four paragraphs near the end of the article in Phys.Org tell the story: “Over the past several years, scientists, the international press, environmental groups and many others have noted an increasing number of marine heat waves in all the world’s oceans, in which certain regions of the ocean experience higher-than-average temperatures over an abnormally long period of time.”

Antarctica
“In their commentary, the authors note that one group of researchers found that the number of such heat waves in 2023–2024 was 240% higher than any other year in recorded history. They also note that the more often such heat waves occur, the more difficult it is for affected areas to recover.”
The draft script and associated hyperlinks relevant to the above video can be critiqued at Science Snippets: Marine Heat Waves Rising Worldwide
“A catastrophic die-off of emperor penguin chicks has been observed in the Antarctic, with up to 10,000 young birds estimated to have been killed.”
Not a chick survived in 4 out of 5 colonies. Not a single Emperor penguin chick survived spring in parts of the Antarctica.

Arctic
“If we were to pick one aspect of climate change that will catastrophically impact everyone on Earth, what would it be? We are especially looking for an aspect that is approaching like a freight train, in the sense that we can see it coming and its progress seems inexorable.”

“The overheating in the Arctic Circle is a great choice. We can see the disaster coming, and when it arrives it will be catastrophic. In addition, this single aspect of climate change will have immense planetary effects through at least 5 different facets of the catastrophe.”
The two paragraphs above come from an extraordinary article written by Marshall Brain: How overheating in the Arctic Circle will cause the collapse of civilization

I’ve previously written about the Arctic: “Losing the remaining Arctic sea ice and its ability to reflect incoming solar energy back to space would be equivalent to adding one trillion tons of CO2 to the atmosphere, on top of the 2.4 trillion tons emitted since the Industrial Age, according to current and former researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego.”

“At current rates, this roughly equates to 25 years of global CO2 emissions.”
There is a brilliant 2minute explainer video on Albedo/Reflectivity embedded below
Cascading Consequences of the Loss of Arctic Sea Ice
What’s happening?
“Scientists point to the warming Arctic as the root cause of the potential crisis. Melting sea ice disrupts the growth of algae that feeds the seafloor ecosystem, which in turn supports the shrimp-like amphipods gray whales depend on. With less food available, whales are arriving at breeding grounds malnourished and leaving with even less energy to complete their 12,000-mile migration north.”

“All the signs are indicating there has been a pretty intensive change in the Arctic,” said Josh Stewart, an ecologist in Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute in Newport.”

Researchers issue urgent warning after witnessing disturbing behavioral shift in ocean species: ‘It’s really just horrific.’

The correlation between the reduction of sulphates and increased sea surface temperatures is stark. Sea Surface temperatures off the coast of Florida hit 38C !!! Possibly a world record:
The paragraph above is an excerpt from my blog post on the Aerosol Masking Effect, what Dr James E Hansen refers to as “Our Faustian Bargain”, Professor McPherson calls it “The Best Kept Secret in Climate Science.” The Aerosol Masking Effect, a Deep Dive into Our “Faustian Bargain”

“The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite…” Jules Verne

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About Kevin Hester

I'm an anti-imperialist, environmental activist and blue ocean sailor, who is passionate about the earth and all it's inhabitants without favour. Brace for imminent impact as we bare witness to the non-linear unraveling of the biosphere and habitability disappearing for most if not all complex life on the only habitable planet we know of. To quote President Niinistö in North Russia: ‘If We Lose the Arctic, We Lose the World’. Folks we have lost the Arctic.