The ocean is the predominant physical feature on our planet, covering 72 percent of the Earth’s surface. The ocean’s role in the climate system is equally influential as it absorbs, retains and transports vast amounts of the Earth’s heat, water and carbon dioxide across the globe. In fact, just the top ten feet of the ocean holds as much heat as the entire atmosphere. Beyond driving the climate system, the ocean itself is being affected by a rapidly changing environment. Ocean waters are warming and becoming more acidic, ocean currents are shifting, and sea levels are rising, all of which have significant implications for our economy, the health of our oceans and human society.
