The Earth's oceans – particularly the Southern Ocean – play an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) and other trace gases from the atmosphere.
In this way, they act as a 'sink' for about a quarter of all carbon emissions from human activities. NIWA atmospheric chemist Dr Mike Harvey explains how the cold waters of the Southern Ocean absorb more carbon than other oceans. Warming of the ocean may slow down this process, leaving more CO2 in the atmosphere, potentially worsening global climate change.