From Global Emissions to Local Impacts: Spatially Explicit Modeling of Ocean Acidification in Life Cycle Assessment

Ocean acidification poses a critical threat to marine ecosystems. While life cycle assessment frameworks provide a method for assessing and combatting many anthropogenic impacts, marine impact models remain underdeveloped compared to their terrestrial counterparts. This study presents the first spatially explicit characterization model for quantifying the impacts of ocean acidification that includes both midpoint and endpoint characterization factors (CFs). Midpoint CFs were spatially delineated by using marine ecoregions and Food and Agriculture Organization fishing areas, leveraging spatially explicit fate and fate sensitivity factors. Endpoint CFs were calculated using species sensitivity distributions that include species across a range of calcification levels, climate zones, and trophic levels. Results demonstrate significant geographic variability in ocean acidification impacts, with polar regions showing heightened vulnerability. Our findings emphasize the need for spatially explicit modeling to account for the diverse biogeochemical and ecological responses to ocean acidification. This work advances marine impact assessment by integrating spatial and biological complexity, providing critical tools for quantifying ocean acidification's global ecological and economic consequences.