ClimateJuly 4, 2026
acidification
/əˌsɪdɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
Definition
The ongoing decrease in the pH value of the Earth's oceans, caused primarily by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'acidus' meaning 'sour' and 'facere' meaning 'to make.' It entered English in the 19th century as a scientific term describing the process of increasing the acidity of a substance.
In the news
The term appears in the list of website topics as a critical environmental issue linked to ocean health and climate change. It represents one of the major ecological categories monitored by the publication alongside energy and policy.
Guest post: How US renewable-energy growth persists despite federal policy uncertainty
Read the full article ↗Carbon Brief