Can Ocean Dumping Be the Key to Carbon Capture? Exploring the Industry’s Bold Bet on Our Seas

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, a small company called Planetary Technologies is testing a bold idea to tackle climate change. They’re pumping a mixture of water and magnesium oxide—a mineral used in many products—into the ocean. The hope is that this process will help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Their motto, “Restore the climate. Heal the ocean,” captures their mission. Armed with a $1 million grant from Elon Musk’s foundation, Planetary is in a race to innovate solutions for climate warming. They’re competing for an additional $50 million prize aimed at finding effective carbon capture strategies.

Planetary isn’t alone. There’s an emerging industry focused on using the ocean’s natural abilities to sequester carbon. Over the past four years, around 50 trials have tested various materials like seaweed and nutrients to see which can best lock away carbon. Just last year, the marine carbon credit market expanded from a mere 2,000 to over 340,000 credits sold, according to CDR.fyi.

However, the approach has raised eyebrows. Critics worry about the potential impact on marine ecosystems. Adina Paytan, an earth and ocean science professor at UC Santa Cruz, likened the situation to a “Wild West,” where many are eager to join the trend without fully understanding the risks involved.

Planetary plans to finance its ventures primarily by selling carbon credits, which can cost several hundred dollars each. Many companies are adopting this model to offset emissions rather than reducing them directly. Although capturing carbon from the atmosphere is crucial, experts, including those from the United Nations, caution that merely cutting emissions won’t suffice to reverse climate change. To keep the planet habitable, active removal of carbon dioxide is essential.

The ocean, covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, is a natural solution. Recent data shows that for the world to meet climate goals set in the Paris Agreement, billions of tons of carbon must be sequestered each year by mid-century. This ambitious target underscores the urgency of exploring ocean-based carbon capture strategies.

Innovations like pumping magnesium oxide into the ocean could potentially create a “vacuum” effect, helping to absorb more atmospheric gases. Once dissolved in seawater, magnesium oxide converts carbon dioxide into stable forms, preventing it from returning to the atmosphere for thousands of years.

Planetary is currently testing its methods in various locations, with ongoing trials in Canada and upcoming tests in Virginia and Vancouver. Will Burt, the company’s chief ocean scientist, articulated the importance of moving quickly to understand the effectiveness of their strategies.

Yet, the ocean is a complex system, making it challenging to predict the long-term effects of these interventions. Researchers are still discovering how ocean processes work, and any changes made could have unanticipated consequences.

Coastal communities have expressed concern about these projects, as seen in North Carolina when locals raised alarms about an olivine dumping proposal. Vesta, a company involved, is trying to balance environmental goals with community engagement, showcasing the challenges in gaining public trust for such initiatives.

Projects attempting to sink organic material to reduce carbon emissions have faced skepticism as well, particularly from fishermen worried about how these actions might affect local marine life. While many scientists see the value in exploring ocean-based solutions, they emphasize the need for thorough research and monitoring to ensure environmental safety.

Although several technologies are being pursued to enhance carbon capture in the ocean, questions about scalability remain. Experts worry whether current methods can expand enough to meet the vast carbon removal needs. The urgency to act is compounded by ongoing increases in global emissions, projected to reach record highs.

As the world marks the hottest year on record, the push for innovative climate solutions continues. Companies like Planetary are leveraging nutrients and minerals to create new ways of carbon capture. While they remain committed to transparency and safety, they also recognize the challenges of public perception.

With climate change pressing harder each day, the need for these novel solutions is more urgent than ever. The goal is clear: we must act now to protect our planet for future generations.

Check out this related article: Explore Earth Hour: Innovative Climate Solutions Beyond Just Switching Off the Lights – The Weather Network

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Business, Climate change, Oceans, Science, Technology, World news, General news, U.S. news, Climate and environment, Article, 120016195