Ocean Monitoring System has to be installed quickly, scientists say
According to recent research, scientists warn that the acidic levels of the oceans have increased by 30 percent since the year 1800, and with these levels increasing rapidly over the last 50 years or so. The implications of these developments will immediately impact the coral reefs and the tiny shelled plankton, and could have negative implications for those who are much higher up the food chain in the days to come.
In spite of these alarming developments, no efforts have been made to install a complete set of tools to monitor not only this aspect of rising acidification but also other conditions that might have an impact on life all over the planet.
And thus scientists consider it important to track ocean variables such as water temperate, marine life patterns and acidity by deploying existing technology into a permanent and integrated global monitoring system.
And with a total of 38 oceanographic institutions from 21 countries represented by Oceans United urging government officials and ministers that are meeting in Beijing from 71 countries around the world to add a marine component of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, the target date for the completion of this technology has been set for the year 2015. While the costs involved in building some a complex system is slated to cost at least 10 to 15 billion dollars in assets, the yearly operating costs have estimated to be at $ 5 billion every year.
The European Union and United States governments have pledged their full support in this endeavor but scientists say that in order to slow down this rapidly rising rate of acidity, international cooperation is a must, in order to curtail the ill-effects of acidity that might affect both human life and other species in the long run, by being able to monitor the oceans from a global point of view so as to receive accurate information from time to time.