Ocean Acidification Economic Cascade: $1T Annual Cost From Shellfish Collapse to Food Security Crisis
Objective
Quantify economic impact of ocean acidification on aquaculture, wild fisheries, and food security; assess the proportion of coastal GDP at risk; model cascading effects on food security in 150+ island nations and coastal communities
Methodology
Economic impact modeling using IPCC aragonite saturation projections; aquaculture production vulnerability mapping across 80 countries; food security analysis for island nations and coastal regions with >20% protein from seafood
Findings
40% of global aquaculture revenue ($100B+ annually) from species vulnerable to ocean acidification. 3.3 billion people dependent on marine protein face 20-40% supply reduction by 2050. Island nations (150+ countries) with 70%+ food from seafood face existential food security crisis. Economic losses modeled at $1T annually by mid-century without major emissions reductions.
