On 14 December 2009, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) released a major study “Scientific Synthesis of the Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Biological Diversity”.

The launch of the study was prepared in collaboration with the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) to mark Oceans Day during the climate change negotiations in Copenhagen. According to the study, seas and oceans absorb approximately one quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities. Media release http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2009/pr-2009-12-14-marine-en.pdf