Prince Albert II Foundation and IAEA strengthen partnership on ocean acidification

Ocean acidification, caused by human activities, is disrupting the entire marine ecosystem, particularly organisms whose shells or skeletons are made of calcium.

The Marine Environment Laboratories at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Prince Albert II Foundation (FPA2) of Monaco have today taken another step forward in their long-standing collaboration by signing a new partnership. It is part of the IAEA’s International Ocean Acidification Coordination Centre and the Foundation’s “Ocean Acidification and other Ocean Change – Impacts and Solutions” initiative.

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The ocean acidificaiton phenomenon occurs when the ocean absorbs the carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere by human activities and becomes more acidic. The change in acidity upsets the entire marine ecosystem, particularly organisms with calcium-based shells or skeletons (corals, molluscs, etc.).

Training, events and winter school

Having worked on ocean acidification for several years, the IAEA and the FPA2 aim to jointly organise training courses and meetings between experts to enable countries to study this subject and act accordingly, but also to ensure that research is inclusive and participatory.

Events to raise awareness of ocean acidification and ocean-based solutions among policymakers, resource managers and other stakeholders are planned for Monaco Ocean Week and the United Nations Ocean Conference.

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Researchers who are new to the field will be able to take part in an international winter school on ocean acidification and multiple stress factors, organised by the two partners at the IAEA’s Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco from 18 to 29 November 2024.

The partnership will explore another critical area in which the IAEA (with NUTEC Plastics) and the FPA2 are actively involved: plastic pollution.