The Scope and Severity of Ocean Acidification’s Effects Are Potentially Significant but Not Fully Known

Ocean acidification could have a variety of potentially significant effects  on marine species, ecosystems, and coastal communities, according to  the six summary reports we reviewed. However, the scientific  understanding of these effects is still developing, and there remains  uncertainty about their scope and severity. For example:
Mollusks. Since January 2010, the  One of the primary tasks of the interagency working group has been to  guide the development of a research and monitoring plan, which  FOARAM required to be developed by March 2011. was approved by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and  released to the public in March 2014, outlines key efforts identified by the  interagency working group that need to be taken over the next 10 years to  advance the nation’s understanding of, and ability to respond to, ocean  acidification. Agencies Have Yet to Take Action to Implement Several FOARAM Requirements

The agencies have yet to implement the following FOARAM  requirements: (1) establish each agency’s role in implementing the  research and monitoring plan and outline the budget requirements for  implementing the plan, (2) establish an ocean acidification information  exchange, and (3) develop adaptation and mitigation strategies to  conserve marine organisms and ecosystems. Some of the officials expressed concern that excluding budget  estimates from the research and monitoring plan has prevented the  agencies and Congress from accurately understanding the funding  needed to implement the plan and how it compares with current  funding levels. The research and monitoring plan  identified two approaches to mitigate the causes of ocean acidification:  (1) reducing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and (2) reducing the  impact of other environmental stressors—such as nutrient runoff  pollution—that can exacerbate the effects of acidification.however, did not provide a strategy for addressing these issues. Designating an Entity to Coordinate the Next Steps Could Bolster Federal Efforts to Implement FOARAM and Respond to Ocean Acidification

Further action could be taken to advance the federal response to ocean  acidification. Our previous work on interagency collaboration has found  that the federal government has used a variety of mechanisms to  implement collaborative efforts involving multiple agencies. The working group has recommended that an independent national  ocean acidification program office be established to coordinate the next  steps in the federal response. According to the former chair of the interagency working  group, such an office has not been established because the working  group has been unable to reach agreement on how it should be funded. Regardless of the option chosen,  until there is greater clarity on which entity is responsible for coordinating  the next steps in the federal response to ocean acidification, completing  important actions, such as implementing the research and monitoring  plan, will be difficult. Without designating  such an entity, federal agencies may struggle to advance the federal  response to ocean acidification. Recommendations for Executive Action

To improve the federal response to ocean acidification, we recommend  that the appropriate entities within the Executive Office of the President,  including the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National  Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Ocean Science and  Technology, in consultation with the agencies in the interagency working  group, take the following four actions:
Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each agency with  regard to implementing the Strategic Plan for Federal Research and  Monitoring of Ocean Acidification. Estimate the funding that would be needed to implement the Strategic  Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification. Designate the entity responsible for coordinating the next steps in the  federal response to ocean acidification. Agency Comments

We provided a draft of this report for review and comment to the  Executive Office of the President; Departments of Agriculture, Commerce,  Defense, the Interior, and State; EPA; NASA; and National Science  Foundation. None of the agencies commented on our recommendations  or findings. NOAA, on behalf of the Department of Commerce, and the  Departments of Agriculture and the Interior provided technical comments,  which we incorporated, as appropriate.
Why GAO Did This Study

Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and oceans are resulting in chemical changes referred to as ocean acidification. These changes may pose risks for some marine species and ecosystems, as well as for the coastal communities that rely on them for food and commerce. FOARAM requires various federal entities to take specific actions related to ocean acidification.
GAO was asked to review federal efforts to address ocean acidification. This report discusses (1) the scientific understanding of the effects of ocean acidification; (2) the extent to which federal agencies have implemented FOARAM; and (3) additional actions, if any, that could be taken to advance the federal response to ocean acidification. To address these issues, GAO reviewed six summary reports on ocean acidification, other scientific studies, and agency documents, and interviewed key agency officials.

What GAO Found

Ocean acidification could have a variety of potentially significant effects on marine species, ecosystems, and coastal communities, according to six summary reports that GAO reviewed. The reports were developed by federal agencies and others and were based on extensive reviews of the scientific literature. The scientific understanding of these effects, however, is still developing, and uncertainty remains about their scope and severity. Potential effects of ocean acidification include:
Reducing the ability of some marine species, such as oysters, to form shells or altering their physiology or behavior. These impacts could affect some species' growth and survival.
Altering marine ecosystems, for example, by disrupting predator and prey relationships in food webs and altering habitats.
Disrupting the economy or culture of some communities, for example, by harming coastal fishing and tourism industries.
The National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, in the Executive Office of the President, and several federal agencies have taken steps to implement the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (FOARAM) but have yet to complete some of the act's requirements. For example, an interagency working group, which includes representatives from 11 agencies and is chaired by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been established. The working group has developed a research and monitoring plan outlining steps to advance the nation's understanding of, and ability to respond to, ocean acidification. However, the agencies involved have yet to implement several FOARAM requirements, including outlining the budget requirements for implementing the research and monitoring plan. Some agency officials told GAO that not providing budget estimates has prevented the agencies and Congress from accurately understanding the funding needed to implement the plan and how it compares with current funding levels.
Further action could be taken to advance the federal response to ocean acidification. GAO's previous work on interagency collaboration has found that a variety of mechanisms can be used to implement efforts involving multiple federal agencies by helping to facilitate collaboration. One possible approach, recommended by the interagency working group, is to establish an independent national ocean acidification program office to coordinate the next steps in the federal response. The working group, however, has not established such an office because it has been unable to reach agreement on how it should be funded. Until greater clarity is provided on the entity responsible for coordinating the next steps in the federal response to ocean acidification, completing important actions, such as implementing the research and monitoring plan, will be difficult.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends the appropriate entities within the Executive Office of the President take steps to improve the federal response to ocean acidification, including estimating the funding that would be needed to implement the research and monitoring plan and designating the entity responsible for coordinating the next steps in the federal response. GAO provided a draft of this report for review and comment to the Executive Office of the President and the departments and agencies reviewed. None of the agencies commented on GAO's recommendations; several provided technical comments that were incorporated, as appropriate.