The Ocean Foundation Mobilizes International Organizations for the Third Annual Ocean Acidification Day of Action

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 8, 2021 – Today, on the third annual Ocean Acidification Day of Action, The Ocean Foundation is proud to stand with its global network of partners in recognition of the collective efforts to mitigate and monitor the effects of ocean acidification on our local communities. The Ocean Acidification Day of Action also aims to encourage all countries to make commitments to address ocean acidification, whether through legislation or scientific research, who have not yet done so.

This year, the global pandemic prevented representatives of participating countries, as well as other partners of The Ocean Foundation’s International Ocean Acidification Initiative (IOAI), from celebrating at an in-person event. As a result, many partners of IOAI are hosting their own events for Ocean Acidification Day of Action. In Liberia, OA-Africa is convening representatives of relevant government institutions and its wider ocean acidification community; and the Latin-American Ocean Acidification Network (LAOCA) is planning a series of regional events, including a broadcast video from Argentina featuring citizen scientists and academic researchers. Other events are taking place in Alaska, Mozambique, Mexico, Ghana, Tuvalu, Guatemala, Peru, and Tanzania.

Today, Ocean Acidification Day of Action is celebratory: as a community, we have accomplished remarkable things. The Ocean Foundation has invested more than USD$3m in addressing ocean acidification, establishing new monitoring programs in 16 countries, creating new regional resolutions to enhance cooperation, and designing new low-cost systems to improve the equitable distribution of ocean acidification research capacity. IOAI partners in Mexico are developing a first ever national ocean science data repository to strengthen ocean acidification monitoring and ocean health. In Ecuador, partners in the Galapagos are studying how ecosystems surrounding natural CO2 vents are adapting to lower pH, giving us insight into future ocean conditions.

To learn more about The Ocean Foundation staff leading this work and why they care so much about ocean acidification, and to hear directly from our partners around the world, join us on 8 January, 2021, at 10am PST for a Facebook Live event at facebook.com/oceanfdn.org.

For more information about ocean acidification, please visit ocean-acidification.org.

History of the Ocean Acidification Day of Action

The Ocean Foundation launched the inaugural Ocean Acidification Day of Action on the 8th January 2019. The 8th of January was chosen as 8.1 is the current pH of the ocean, to symbolize the threshold our world ocean can handle. This event was held at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C. with special remarks from Mr. Göran Lithel, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Swedish Embassy, and His Excellency, Mr. Naivakarurubalavu Solo Mara, the Fijian Ambassador to the United States, who spoke about their respective countries’ commitments and offered a call to action to other countries to join in this effort.

The second annual Ocean Acidification Day of Action, held on 8 January 2020, was hosted by the Embassy of New Zealand in Washington, D.C. The Ocean Foundation also released a guide for policymakers for drafting legislation regarding ocean acidification mitigation.

International Ocean Acidification Initiative (IOAI)

Since 2003, The Ocean Foundation’s International Ocean Acidification Initiative has been building the capacity of scientists, policymakers, and communities to monitor, understand, and respond to ocean acidification both locally and collaboratively on a global scale. This is achieved by creating practical tools and resources that are custom-designed to work for communities in need. Since starting this initiative, The Ocean Foundation has committed more than 3 million in funding towards ocean acidification monitoring, adaptation, and mitigation strategies to help nations fulfill commitments in support of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.3.

For more information on The Ocean Foundation’s International Ocean Acidification Initiative, please visit oceanfdn.org/initiatives/ocean-acidification.

The Ocean Foundation 

As a legally incorporated and registered 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, The Ocean Foundation (TOF) is the community foundation dedicated to advancing marine conservation around the world. Since its establishment in 2002, TOF has worked tirelessly to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world. TOF achieves its mission through three interrelated lines of business: fund management and grant making, consulting and capacity-building, and donor management and development. 

For Press

The Ocean Foundation’s Contact: 

Jason Donofrio, External Relations Officer

[email protected]

202-318-3178