What is the role of the ocean in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide?

The ocean plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change through the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This process is known as the ocean carbon cycle. The ocean absorbs about 25% of the CO2 emitted by human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. The absorption of CO2 by the ocean helps to slow down the pace of global warming by removing this greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.

The ocean absorbs CO2 in two ways: through diffusion across the air-sea interface and through the biological pump. The biological pump is a process in which marine organisms take up CO2 through photosynthesis and use it to build their skeletons and shells. When these organisms die, their remains sink to the ocean floor, effectively removing the CO2 from the surface waters for hundreds of years.

However, the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2 is not limitless. As CO2 dissolves in seawater, it makes the water more acidic, a process known as ocean acidification. This can harm marine organisms and ecosystems, such as coral reefs, which are particularly sensitive to changes in acidity. Therefore, it is important to reduce our CO2 emissions to limit the impact of ocean acidification on the environment.