Ocean acidification is approaching a critical threshold, with harmful consequences for marine life and fisheries, largely due to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. The warning was raised in the Planetary Health Check 2024, the first report released by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany. According to the report, six of the nine limits that are crucial to sustaining life on Earth have already been exceeded, including climate change; the loss of biodiversity and forests; the reduction of river flow and soil moisture; and the excessive use of phosphorus, nitrogen, and pesticides in agriculture. “When we look at the trends of Earth’s health indicators, we see that soon the majority of them will be in the high-risk zone. We need to reverse this trend,” said Boris Sakschewski, lead author of the report, in a PIK statement (PIK, September 24).
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