Global Collapse of Marine Carbonate Saturation States

The projected collapse of global marine carbonate saturation states represents a fundamental geochemical inflection point for human civilization's relationship with the ocean. As rising atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide drive ocean acidification and push critical regions past established thresholds for aragonite and calcite saturation, the ocean’s ability to passively absorb and buffer anthropogenic CO2 diminishes precipitously. This transition fundamentally alters marine biophysics, transforming what was previously considered a reliable global carbon sink into a chemically constrained, destabilized system by mid-century. The immediate consequence is a systemic failure of natural processes supporting essential oceanic infrastructure, including coral reef ecosystems and calcifying shellfish beds, necessitating radical industrial intervention.