Ocean acidification

I wanted to come back to ocean acidification. It's a problem that probably doesn't receive as much coverage in the media as global warming does.
Possibly (since we're not fish) it's not quite as scary!

I was told (at the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Consortium meeting) that the shells of some sea creatures will start dissolving pretty soon unless something is done about it.
This came from a marine biologist at Plymouth University (Carol Turley perhaps?). She's published an article online about ocean acidification.

Very simply the argument is some of this excess CO2 in the atmosphere will dissolve in the worlds oceans and lower it's pH. This weak acid will dissolve the shells of some sea creatures (such as snails) meaning that, not only (when they die and sink to the bottom) is a large carbon pump lost, but that other species (such as pacific salmon, whales) will loose their food.

It's not a happy thought.

Worse still is that this is a very rapid effect (unlike global warming we'll see it in our lifetimes). I've seen a respected estimate of 2030 as to when this will start becoming a problem.

This does, I suppose, fit quite nicely as to when we must also stop emitting CO2 to prevent danagerous climate change (if not already too late).

What can we do about it?

Well, we have to stop emitting CO2. The emission of other greenhouse gasses (whilst unacceptable for global warming) are okay as far as ocean acification goes.

Best way to stop emitting CO2?

Carbon capture and storage.