{"id":191,"date":"2020-10-20T16:17:21","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T21:17:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/research.american.edu\/carbonremoval\/?p=191"},"modified":"2023-05-03T16:02:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T21:02:25","slug":"icrlp-co-director-dr-wil-burns-explores-ocean-alkalinizations-potential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.american.edu\/carbonremoval\/2020\/10\/20\/icrlp-co-director-dr-wil-burns-explores-ocean-alkalinizations-potential\/","title":{"rendered":"ICRLP Co-Director Dr. Wil Burns Explores Ocean Alkalinization\u2019s Potential"},"content":{"rendered":"

ICRLP Co-director <\/span>Wil Burns<\/span><\/a> and co-author <\/span>Charles R. Corbett<\/span><\/a> recently published an important article in <\/span>One Earth<\/span><\/a> titled <\/span>\u201cAntacids for the Sea? Artificial Ocean Alkalinization and Climate Change.\u201d<\/span><\/a> This important article explores ways in which <\/span>artificial ocean alkalinization (AOA)<\/span><\/a> could serve as an important component of a large-scale carbon removal strategy. It includes an analysis of the risks and benefits of AOA, as well as governance considerations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the world community coming together in 2015 and signing the Paris agreement, it has since become clear that the reality of meeting the 2.0\/1.5\u00b0C temperature targets are becoming increasingly unrealistic, as countries continue to lag on meeting even the already lackluster pledges they have made. Furthermore, 87% of the scenarios run in the <\/span>IPCC Fifth Assessment Report<\/span><\/a> that meets the Paris Agreements targets incorporate large-scale adoption of carbon dioxide removal strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus far, the majority of the focus on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) has been on terrestrially based technologies such as <\/span>bioenergy and carbon capture (BECCS),<\/span><\/a> afforestation and reforestation<\/a>,<\/span> and <\/span>direct air capture.<\/span><\/a> Although these are all methods deserving of consideration and assessment, there are also many associated shortfalls and risks, providing a compelling rationale for assessing the potential role of ocean-based carbon removal approaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ocean-based approaches to CDR are under-developed, under-funded, and under-tested. This is despite the fact that the ocean comprises 71% of Earth\u2019s surface and is already passively absorbing 10 gigatons of carbon every year, with the great potential to store more. In light of the climate crisis, this potential is something the global community cannot afford to overlook.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus far, most of the ocean-based CDR has focused on <\/span>ocean iron fertilization (OIF)<\/span><\/a>. However, recent research has concluded that OIF\u2019s sequestration potential may be low, and it could pose serious risks to ocean ecosystems. As a consequence, it has largely been abandoned as the most viable ocean-based CDR method.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>However, despite the shortcomings of OIF, the method does provide some incentive to look into other ocean-based methods of CDR. AOA may provide some of the greatest potentials in that regard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AOA is the method of adding alkalinity to ocean systems, increasing pH levels, which in turn leads to greater carbon absorption and a reduction in acidification. AOA has the potential to represent meaningful contributions to the battle against climate change and carbon sequestration, even at the low end of its potential. Several methods have been proposed:<\/span><\/p>\n