Climate Insider’s Post

This week, the controversy surrounding a University of Washington study on marine cloud brightening - which includes testing a saltwater spraying machine from the deck of a retired aircraft carrier - is ramping up. Concerns about "unpredictable side effects" are clashing with scientists who promote researching these technologies in order to understand if/how they can be used to help tackle the #climate crisis. Full article by Nicolás Rivero in The Washington Post: https://lnkd.in/ebv7YR42 Included in the article is a quote from David Keith, Director of the Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago: “This generation is not likely to be the one that makes decisions about actually deploying these technologies. Those will only get made in 20 years by the next generation. Right now, our only real choice is: Do we research them or do we not?” This is exactly the question that the Co-CREATE Project aims to answer. Co-CREATE will examine the governance principles and guidelines for responsible Solar Radiation Modification research. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dVmkN3eB Perspectives Climate Group, Climate Strategies, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CMCC Foundation - Centro Euro Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Trilateral Research, The University of Manchester, University of Twente, UCL.

Earth is in the midst of a climate crisis – the evidence is overwhelming.    To stop the impacts of climate change on Earth’s ecosystems, including marine ecosystems, we will need to reverse the increase in carbon dioxide pollution by developing methods to permanently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as we continue to rapidly deploy solutions that reduce carbon emissions.   Ocean Visions’ high level road map outlines a comprehensive program to advance the science, technology, and policy priorities needed to rigorously evaluate mCDR. #CarbonDioxideRemoval #ClimateChangeMitigation  Explore the high level road map: https://lnkd.in/grNy_h4f

It usually takes quite a bit of time for scientists to come to a consensus on wording. They are very careful with what they say on the record, for good reason. But let me tell you it took no time at all for scientists to agree on this. Fourteen leading marine and climate scientists - both national and international - yesterday sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister, with an urgent plea to stop green-lighting new coal and gas in order to save our reefs. The Great Barrier Reef has been devastated once again, by what has been described as an 'underwater bushfire'. More than 70% of the world's largest living structure is bleached - caused by climate change and dramatically warmer water temperatures. As Dr Dean Miller so aptly puts it: "The choice is stark: coal or coral." Another scientist who surveyed the reef this week said, quite simply: “It’s a graveyard out there.” I know many of you will agree that we want our kids to grow up in a world where experiencing the wonder and beauty of the reef is an option for them. Without decisive action on addressing climate change from our leaders, this is becoming increasingly unlikely. We have to demand better. The Labor Government can show leadership on this. Strong Environment Laws that consider climate harms of new projects are the key to putting the brakes on emissions in this country. They know what's required. They just need to listen to the scientists, stop delaying and do it. https://lnkd.in/ggMdXesV

🌊 While the ocean is experiencing the adverse effects of climate change, the ocean is also a resource to support ecosystems and boost local economies. 🇺🇸 The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration have released the National Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Strategy, a comprehensive plan to accelerate marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) research in a way that is safe and effective. 📔 National Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Strategy advances the following objectives to guide U.S. government efforts: 1️⃣ Promote responsible mCDR research that involves communities and minimizes environmental risk. 2️⃣ Strengthen interdisciplinary areas of research to answer key questions about mCDR safety and efficacy. 3️⃣ Advance reliable and accurate measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) of mCDR and the sharing of research results. 4️⃣ Prioritize research toward mCDR approaches that show the greatest promise of achieving specific benchmarks for safety, efficacy, and other criteria. 5️⃣ Ensure mCDR research is efficiently and effectively permitted under applicable laws and regulations. 6️⃣ Promote coordination across diverse sectors and communities with interests in mCDR research. ☀️ This strategy complements—but does not replace—the urgent need for rapid and deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, it highlights how marine carbon dioxide removal could be another tool for climate action. 👉 Learn more and download the report: https://lnkd.in/gKP8ZN-Y 👀 See also Carbon Business Council's mCDR Issue Brief published earlier this year: https://lnkd.in/gNsSuYN7 #marineCDR #mCDR #ocean #climatetech

Environmental Defense Fund announces research into solar radiation management. In a way sad we got to this point, I mean that we didn’t take measures earlier regarding GHG emissions. I agree though with the Environmental Defense Fund that we unfortunately have reached a point where it becomes morally unjustifiable not to research cooling options, as it is clear that climate impacts are becoming more deadly to humans and other life on Earth. https://lnkd.in/dNYPNYua

Carbon credits have been in the news a lot lately. And one question seems to be at the heart of every headline: Is there a sound scientific basis for using carbon credits to offset emissions? For forest credits, the answer is yes. A new study of dozens of nature-based climate solutions found conserving and restoring tropical and temperate forests offer the most certainty in carbon mitigation potential. Our Brian Buma says, “For forests, we have a pretty good scientific basis, and our methods just get better and more complementary. We have a lot of ways of measuring the carbon in forests and the associated fluxes.” Read more on the study here: https://lnkd.in/dmUedED7

Can adding iron to the ocean help it absorb CO2? – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: While the urgent reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions is needed as the primary activity to curb climate change, there is broad agreement for the need to remove CO2 already in the atmosphere. Given its outsized role in CO2 storage, the ocean can't be ignored for its potential for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) to help improve our stressed climate system. https://lnkd.in/eYSWA5HC

Ocean Iron fertilization (#OIF) is a climate change mitigation concept that involves adding iron to ocean to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton. These phytoplankton play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By boosting their growth, there might be a powerful tool to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Despite its potential, #OIF presents several negative aspects. Firstly, the addition of iron can unpredictably alter marine ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and the food chain. Additionally, excessive phytoplankton growth can lead to the creation of dead zones, areas with low oxygen levels that can be harmful to marine life. There is also concern that this method may have unintended side effects, such as the release of other greenhouse gases. The long-term effectiveness of this technique for mitigating climate change is still not fully proven. In any case, it is very interesting and hopeful to see how scientists from all over the world are working on solutions to mitigate climate change. https://lnkd.in/dZaZ5bXh

The Exploring Ocean Iron Solutions (ExOIS) consortium is very happy to announce the publication of a new, peer-reviewed Perspective article in Frontiers in Climate. The article explains the next steps that are needed to transparently and ethically advance our understanding on the potential of ocean iron fertilization as a method of marine carbon dioxide removal. This work is the culmination of a broad consensus of experts from a wide range of disciplines and more than a dozen research institutions. This is the start of a process to socialize the ideas of the ExOIS consortium with the wider world. We must recognize two important realities: cutting CO2 emissions dramatically is essential to address climate change. And at the same time, experts including the IPCC are clear that carbon dioxide removal is also going to be necessary to prevent the worst effects of climate change. We need serious, transparent debate about how the oceans could play a valuable role in helping to store even more carbon – given that the ocean is already the world’s largest carbon sink. And that process must be pursued with an open mind. This work has to be done in active dialogue with all impacted communities, especially those that are underrepresented and have historically been excluded from these discussions. You can read more about the research strategy we’ve laid out here: https://lnkd.in/erpwVGYT   Full paper here: https://lnkd.in/ect2Wq73

Newly Published Article Outlines Case for Considering Adding Iron to the Ocean for Carbon Dioxide Removal – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: While the urgent reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions is needed as the primary activity to curb climate change, there is broad agreement for the need to remove CO2 already in the atmosphere. Given its outsized role in CO2 storage, the ocean can’t be ignored for its potential for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) to help improve our stressed climate system. https://lnkd.in/eYSWA5HC