Acidifying seas threaten island nations' food security: Study

MONTEREY (REUTERS) - Food security problems caused by climate change and ocean acidification will hit small islands and coastal nations hardest, environmental group Oceana said on Monday.

The Comoros islands in the Indian Ocean headed the non-profit group's rankings of nations most vulnerable to the combined effects of higher carbon dioxide emissions and ocean temperatures, and the increasing acidity of the world's water.

Nations that depend heavily on seafood as a source of protein may face increased food insecurity, with shellfish like oysters, clams and mussels particularly vulnerable, it said.

Togo, the Cook Islands, Kirbati, and Eritrea rounded out the report's top five.