Oceans Climate and Energy
Oceans cover more than 70% of planet Earth. Those who have watched as waves crash in the surf, as tides ebb and flow and the winds blow in gusts of salty air, may guess at the immense energy and power that moves through the ocean. Harnessing the energy of oceanic winds and tides could decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. As our atmosphere warms from emissions of the fossil fuel industry, we must push forward on the path towards clean energy, away from finite and polluting sources. That path may lead us shoreward, into the open ocean.
Today, our oceans are exploited for fossil fuel reserves buried deep under the seafloor. Seismic blasts, one of the loudest sounds man can make, rattle the oceans in search of oil and gas. The noise of these blasts harms all ocean life from tiny zooplankton to the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. The damage only amplifies once reserves are found: Offshore oil rigs are prone to leaks and spills, such as the BP Deepwater Horizon spill, that are ecologically and economically devastating. Considering that offshore oil and gas development risks 1.4 million jobs in the tourism, recreation, and fishing industry which rely on healthy ocean ecosystems, it is no surprise that more 200 coastal communities and 13 of 14 East Coast governors oppose offshore drilling.
Offshore wind has the potential to generate large amounts of clean energy. In fact, scientists estimate that offshore wind in the North Atlantic could generate three times the amount of power than on land. Currently, there is only one complete offshore wind project in the United States, the Block Island Wind Farm, but many more are in active development along the East Coast. And expansion in wind energy would produce twice the number of jobs and twice the amount of energy as offshore drilling. In addition, the cost of electricity from offshore wind is decreasing and expected to continue on a downward trend.
The movements of the tides are yet another intersection of the oceans and energy. While tidal power is in earlier phases of development compared to wind, researchers and innovators are working to develop the best technology to harness the dynamic power of the tides. Successful tidal power plants have been constructed across the world in South Korea, France, Canada, and the UK. The U.S. does not yet have tidal power stations, but there is the potential along coasts in states such as Alaska, Washington, and Maine.
NOAA
Of course, green energy technology still requires inputs and resources, especially metals and minerals, which are abundant in deep sea beds. For seabed mining, we are already creating regulations and mining in deep sea ecosystems that we do not yet fully understand. As Rachel Carson wrote, “We can only sense that in the deep and turbulent recesses of the sea are hidden mysteries far greater than any we have solved.”
So, as we look to the oceans for the energy to power our fast-paced world, we must pause to consider the mysteries of landscapes and complexities of life that we do not fully comprehend. For if we do not know what is there, we cannot know what we have lost if we act without caution and consciousness. The RCC supports a clean energy future that shifts away from fossil fuels and works in harmony with marine ecosystems.
Scientists Find Underwater Plants Can Combat Ocean Acidification Marine scientists have suspected for years that underwater plants and seaweeds could combat the effects of ocean acidification on marine life. Now, research recently published in the journal Global Change Biology provides the most compelling evidence yet that underwater grasslands may create safe zones for marine life vulnerable to ocean acidification’s destructive effects. Read more Climate Migration is Happening Underwater, Too
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Latest News About Oceans Climate and Energy
Human-generated carbon emissions are causing the world’s oceans to become more acidic. Since the start of the industrial revolution, when mankind’s emissions began ramping up, the world’s oceans have already become about 30% more acidic. For shell-building animals in particular, like oysters and snails, ocean acidification’s impacts can be devastating.
The ocean is warming, and marine life is moving to survive. Tropical waters around the equator were the richest with species, but it’s now too hot for some of them to survive, according to a new study. Looking at 48,661 marine species, the study found marine life drops off when average annual sea surface temperatures reach above 20 °C. Since the 1970s, fish, crustaceans, and other marine life that live in open waters have been migrating north — the research suggests “it is already too warm there for some species to survive.” Read more
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