Carbon emissions must be reduced to stop oceans being damaged, a scientist has warned.

Carol Turley, of Plymouth Marine Laboratory, called for governments around the world to address the problem at the United Nations climate change conference which begins in November in Paris.

She said oceans are on the “front line of climate change” and claimed their acidification would have an impact on our food resources, climate, coastal protection and biodiversity.

“We are at a decision point at this moment in time on whether we go for a high CO₂ future for the world – which means warmer atmosphere, warmer oceans, more acidified oceans, melting sea ice, sea level rises etc, or a low emissions scenario.

“Thats what all our governments need to consider and will be considering in Paris at the big climate change conference this year.

“Oceans add a really good argument to reduce CO₂ emissions and we can do it,” she told BBC Radio 4's Today.

Turley, a coordinator at the UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme, claimed it was “very simple” to stop the oceans being harmed by CO₂.

“We have to reduce our CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere,” she said.

“We have to do it anyway for climate change. The ocean is another good reason for acting quickly.”