Ocean scientists are urging governments to invest billions of dollars by 2015 in a new monitoring system for the seas. This system would provide alerts for events like tsunamis and acidification related to climate change. The scientists believe that better oversight would lead to significant economic benefits by helping to understand the effects of over-fishing and changes in weather patterns. Oceans United, a scientific alliance, plans to present this proposal to governments at a meeting in Beijing in November. Jesse Ausubel, a founder of POGO, emphasized the importance of taking action to monitor the health of the planet's oceans, which are predicted to become saltier, hotter, more acidic, and less diverse in the future. POGO stated that establishing a global ocean monitoring system would require $10 to $15 billion initially, with annual operating costs of $5 billion. Currently, between $1 and $3 billion is spent on monitoring the oceans. Tony Knap, director of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and a POGO leader, mentioned that while this new funding may seem significant during a time of government budget cuts, it could ultimately prevent larger losses. For example, Japan has invested $100 million in subsea cables to monitor earthquakes and tsunamis, which officials estimate could save 7,500-10,000 lives out of a projected 25,000 fatalities in the event of a major earthquake. Knap emphasized that although the cost of installing the cables may seem high, the prevention of loss of life makes it a worthwhile investment. New funding could support the expansion of various ongoing projects, such as satellite monitoring of ocean temperatures, tagging of marine animals like dolphins, salmon, and whales, and the development of tsunami warning systems in certain countries. Ausubel, a vice-president at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, compared these efforts to the construction of lighthouses by the ancient Greeks, emphasizing the importance of investing in navigation aids for the modern era. One concerning trend is the 30% increase in ocean acidity since 1800, primarily due to rising carbon dioxide levels from fossil fuel combustion. This could potentially pose challenges for creatures like lobsters, crabs, shellfish, corals, and plankton in constructing their protective shells, ultimately impacting other marine organisms as well.