Ocean acidification threatens marine species and habitats that human coastal communities rely on for social and economic well-being. Marine ecosystems support economically important aquaculture and seafood industries, provide food security, protect against storms and flooding, and hold cultural and spiritual value.
Understanding the socioeconomic vulnerability of communities to ocean acidification is critical for developing relevant adaptation and mitigation efforts to build resiliency. Since 2010, the IAEA has partnered with the Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM) to facilitate discussions around the economic impact of acidification. The two organizations created an international workshop series on bridging the gap between ocean acidification impacts and economic evaluation in order to drive solutions forward.
At these interdisciplinary workshops, experts from both natural and social sciences have gathered to discuss socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification on ecosystem services, with every edition focusing on different topics, such as fisheries and aquaculture, coral reefs, and impacts of multiple ocean pressures. It is a high priority to continue engaging social scientists in ocean acidification research in order to understand how coastal communities may be impacted.