PANAJI
National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Director Prof Sunil Kumar Singh on Tuesday raised concern over the substantial rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide in the past 40-50 years owing to the activities that support modern human civilization.
Singh also said that climate change has started showing its impact by way of extended monsoon periods, excessive rainfall, temperature above normal, flooding in Rajasthan, increasing number of cyclones worldwide.
Addressing a press conference at the side-lines of 9th International Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) Open Science Conference (SOLAS-OSC 2024), held in Goa, Singh said that increasing levels of CO2 lead to changes in global radiative forces and climate.
He said that SOLAS has laid focus on ocean deoxygenation, marine carbon dioxide removal (MCDR), and the impact of warming temperatures on marine ecosystems.
“These are man made problems. Our dependency on the energy and other modern activities has led to consistent increase of atmospheric carbon-dioxide,” he said adding that there are several potential solutions to the problem include seaweeds or phytoplankton, etc that ultimately help extract CO2.
NIO is hosting the 9th International SOLAS conference, wherein scientists and experts from 20 countries have come together to address the crucial issue of climate change and the way ahead. The conference is set to be the ground for discussion and deliberation for the updated Science Plan for 20 years to combat climate change.
SOLAS is an international and interdisciplinary research project on biogeochemical-physical air-sea interactions and climate change. Held in India for the very first time, the four-day Conference will focus on the critical interactions between the Surface Ocean and lower atmosphere, with a particular emphasis on climate change.
"SOLAS studies the interaction between the Surface Ocean and lower atmosphere, and in today's climate change context, these studies have become incredibly relevant," Singh said.
Singh said that this year's focus is on SOLAS 3.0, the updated science plan aimed at addressing global challenges such as ocean de-oxygenation.
“This conference will provide a platform for international collaboration, with discussions centred on mitigating climate change and promoting sustainable solutions,” he said.
SOLAS also strives to bridge the gap between science and policy by integrating social sciences, economics, and law into its research. While SOLAS does not create regulations, its recommendations aim to inform and influence marine policy, particularly in areas like marine pollution and climate change.
In addition to its scientific work, SOLAS supports early career scientists through programs like summer school and early career committees, fostering collaboration and building connections to strengthen the next generation of ocean-atmosphere researchers.
