Ocean Acidification and Human Health

Laura J. Falkenberg, Richard G.J. Bellerby, Sean D. Connell, Lora E. Fleming, Bruce Maycock, Bayden D. Russell, Francis J. Sullivan and Sam Dupont
Additional contact information
Laura J. Falkenberg: Simon F.S. Li Marine Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
Richard G.J. Bellerby: SKLEC-NIVA Centre for Marine and Coastal Research, State Key Laboratory for Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
Sean D. Connell: Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, The Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Lora E. Fleming: European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School c/o Knowledge Spa RCHT, Truro, Cornwall TR1 3HD, UK
Bruce Maycock: European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School c/o Knowledge Spa RCHT, Truro, Cornwall TR1 3HD, UK
Bayden D. Russell: Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
Francis J. Sullivan: Prostate Cancer Institute, Galway Clinic, Doughiska, H91HHT0 Galway, Ireland
Sam Dupont: Department for Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg 566, 45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: The ocean provides resources key to human health and well-being, including food, oxygen, livelihoods, blue spaces, and medicines. The global threat to these resources posed by accelerating ocean acidification is becoming increasingly evident as the world’s oceans absorb carbon dioxide emissions. While ocean acidification was initially perceived as a threat only to the marine realm, here we argue that it is also an emerging human health issue. Specifically, we explore how ocean acidification affects the quantity and quality of resources key to human health and well-being in the context of: (1) malnutrition and poisoning, (2) respiratory issues, (3) mental health impacts, and (4) development of medical resources. We explore mitigation and adaptation management strategies that can be implemented to strengthen the capacity of acidifying oceans to continue providing human health benefits. Importantly, we emphasize that the cost of such actions will be dependent upon the socioeconomic context; specifically, costs will likely be greater for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, exacerbating the current inequitable distribution of environmental and human health challenges. Given the scale of ocean acidification impacts on human health and well-being, recognizing and researching these complexities may allow the adaptation of management such that not only are the harms to human health reduced but the benefits enhanced.

Keywords: ocean acidification; global climate change; human health; seafood; malnutrition; air quality; respiratory health; biodiversity loss (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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