Handbook to help Commonwealth nations tackle ocean acidification

LONDON: A new policy handbook, launched on Tuesday, will help Commonwealth governments put in place strategies to tackle ocean acidification — a key aspect of climate change.

Ocean acidification happens when the sea absorbs excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, primarily caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.

This leads to an increase in the acidity of the ocean, affecting the lifecycles and biology of certain marine species, and in turn, threatening the entire food web as well as the lives and livelihoods of communities that depend on these ocean resources.

Tackling this challenge requires technical expertise and capacity that are often not available in Commonwealth countries. The new handbook addresses this gap by identifying existing resources, streamlining technical concepts, outlining pragmatic solutions and providing useful templates for policy makers.

The handbook was commissioned by the New Zealand government, which champions the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Ocean Acidification. (IANS)

Also Read: ICC first to announce qualifiers for Commonwealth Games

Also Watch: AATSA Threatens to Shut Down Oil Rig at Demow, Accuses OIL of Failing to Deliver on Promises