Mapping the IPCC onto the Curriculum
Ocean:Carbon
The ocean removes some excess carbon from atmosphere, but not all of it. Storage of carbon in the ocean causes ocean acidification.
IPCC Summary for Policymakers (SPM) content
A.1.6 It is virtually certain that the global upper ocean (0–700 m) has warmed since the 1970s and extremely likely that human influence is the main driver. It is virtually certain that human-caused CO2 emissions are the main driver of current global acidification of the surface open ocean.
Figure SPM.7: Cumulative anthropogenic CO2 emissions taken up by land and ocean sinks by 2100 under the five illustrative scenarios.
A.2.4 …surface open ocean pH as low as recent decades is unusual in the last 2 million years
Science Standards: NGSS SEP, DCI, CC
SEP: Analyzing & interpreting data
SEP: Using math & computational thinking
LS2.B Cycles of matter & energy transfer
ESS2.E Biogeology
ESS3.B Human impacts on Earth systems
ESS3.D Global climate change
CC: Systems & systems models
CC: Scale, proportion & quantity
PRI Climate Resources