A recent study released by the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in collaboration with the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has found that oceans are becoming more acidic at a rate 100 times faster than any change seen in the marine environment over the past 20 million years. This rapid acidification leaves little time for biological systems to adapt, according to Maruf Mallick, environment correspondent for bdnews24.com. The study, presented at the Bella Convention Centre in Copenhagen, where climate talks are currently taking place, highlights the fact that oceans absorb about one quarter of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from human activities. Without this absorption, atmospheric CO2 levels would be much higher, leading to more severe consequences of global climate change. The absorption of atmospheric CO2 has led to changes in the chemical balance of the oceans, making them more acidic. It is estimated that by 2050, ocean acidity could rise by 150 percent. Ocean acidification is irreversible on timescales of thousands of years, and urgent reductions in global CO2 emissions are necessary to prevent significant damage to ocean ecosystems. Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the convention, emphasized the importance of addressing this issue in the global climate change debate in Copenhagen. A study by the CBD highlights the severe ecological consequences of ocean acidification on marine biodiversity, based on analysis of over 300 scientific sources. The study reveals that as ocean acidification continues to rise, it is projected that approximately 70 percent of cold water corals, which serve as crucial habitats and food sources for commercial fish species, will be at risk of being in contact with acidic waters by the year 2100.