How do increasing atmospheric CO2 emissions threaten sea creatures, like corals? Increasing atmospheric CO2 leads to more CO2 becoming dissolved in the ocean, which makes the ocean more basic. Increasing atmospheric CO2 leads to more CO2 becoming dissolved in the ocean, which makes the ocean more acidic. Increasing atmospheric CO2 leads to destruction of the ozone layer, which increases UV radiation and coral bleaching Increasing atmospheric CO2 increases sedimentation on reefs, which shades out photosynthetic corals.