COULD THE OCEANS PRODUCE THE ENERGY THAT MAY YET SAVE OCEAN LIFE AND AVERT CLIMATIC CATASTROPHE?
Article by John Topping, Jr. Recent events have raised great concerns that climate change may be developing a momentum that could soon prove irreversible. A commentary on this site recently pointed to a grim prospect of a breakdown in the marine food chain due to over-harvesting of fish and shellfish, marine pollution, coral die-off, rising sea surface temperatures, and ocean acidification. Yet a presentation on January 10, 2007 at a seminar on the Future of Ocean Energy convened by the DC Bar Association provided a real glimmer of hope. Mark Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation, laid out a strong case that emerging energy from the oceans — offshore wind power, energy from tidal flows, ocean currents and wave action — could play a significant role in slowing climate change that might threaten marine life. Spalding is an unabashed advocate of protecting marine life and sensitive ecosystems. He spearheaded an effort supported by a number of major foundations to assess how traditio
