First-Order Priorities

Accelerate the design, permitting, and execution of the next generation of controlled field trials to answer questions specifically pertaining to carbon sequestration

  • For open ocean systems, under various conditions
    • Determine the effectiveness (including bioavailability) of nutrient delivery at supporting new primary production
    • Determine the efficacy of export from the surface ocean into the deep ocean, and the associated estimates of carbon sequestration durability
    • Determine the resulting air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to quantify the additionality of the nutrient fertilization
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any nutrient fertilization activity, including:
      • Changes to upper ocean biology, chemistry, and physics (especially for artificial upwelling)
      • Impacts to upper trophic levels and food web interactions
      • Impacts to existing marine industries and resource needs (e.g., fisheries)
  • For closed systems
    • Demonstrate net negative carbon removal pathways in closed system cultivation
    • Determine sequestration efficacy and durability from various carbon storage possibilities, including land-based burial, storage in the deep ocean, and storage on the seafloor
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any cultivation and sequestration activity, including:
      • Land-based impacts from onshore cultivation construction and operation
      • Impacts from leakage or spill of onshore systems 
      • Impacts to other marine-based operations (e.g., fisheries)
  • For open ocean systems, under various conditions
    • Determine the effectiveness (including bioavailability) of nutrient delivery at supporting new primary production
    • Determine the efficacy of export from the surface ocean into the deep ocean, and the associated estimates of carbon sequestration durability
    • Determine the resulting air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to quantify the additionality of the nutrient fertilization
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any nutrient fertilization activity, including:
      • Changes to upper ocean biology, chemistry, and physics (especially for artificial upwelling)
      • Impacts to upper trophic levels and food web interactions
      • Impacts to existing marine industries and resource needs (e.g., fisheries)
  • For closed systems
    • Demonstrate net negative carbon removal pathways in closed system cultivation
    • Determine sequestration efficacy and durability from various carbon storage possibilities, including land-based burial, storage in the deep ocean, and storage on the seafloor
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any cultivation and sequestration activity, including:
      • Land-based impacts from onshore cultivation construction and operation
      • Impacts from leakage or spill of onshore systems 
      • Impacts to other marine-based operations (e.g., fisheries)
  • For open ocean systems, under various conditions
    • Determine the effectiveness (including bioavailability) of nutrient delivery at supporting new primary production
    • Determine the efficacy of export from the surface ocean into the deep ocean, and the associated estimates of carbon sequestration durability
    • Determine the resulting air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to quantify the additionality of the nutrient fertilization
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any nutrient fertilization activity, including:
      • Changes to upper ocean biology, chemistry, and physics (especially for artificial upwelling)
      • Impacts to upper trophic levels and food web interactions
      • Impacts to existing marine industries and resource needs (e.g., fisheries)
  • For closed systems
    • Demonstrate net negative carbon removal pathways in closed system cultivation
    • Determine sequestration efficacy and durability from various carbon storage possibilities, including land-based burial, storage in the deep ocean, and storage on the seafloor
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any cultivation and sequestration activity, including:
      • Land-based impacts from onshore cultivation construction and operation
      • Impacts from leakage or spill of onshore systems 
      • Impacts to other marine-based operations (e.g., fisheries)
  • For open ocean systems, under various conditions
    • Determine the effectiveness (including bioavailability) of nutrient delivery at supporting new primary production
    • Determine the efficacy of export from the surface ocean into the deep ocean, and the associated estimates of carbon sequestration durability
    • Determine the resulting air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to quantify the additionality of the nutrient fertilization
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any nutrient fertilization activity, including:
      • Changes to upper ocean biology, chemistry, and physics (especially for artificial upwelling)
      • Impacts to upper trophic levels and food web interactions
      • Impacts to existing marine industries and resource needs (e.g., fisheries)
  • For closed systems
    • Demonstrate net negative carbon removal pathways in closed system cultivation
    • Determine sequestration efficacy and durability from various carbon storage possibilities, including land-based burial, storage in the deep ocean, and storage on the seafloor
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any cultivation and sequestration activity, including:
      • Land-based impacts from onshore cultivation construction and operation
      • Impacts from leakage or spill of onshore systems 
      • Impacts to other marine-based operations (e.g., fisheries)
  • For open ocean systems, under various conditions
    • Determine the effectiveness (including bioavailability) of nutrient delivery at supporting new primary production.
    • Determine the efficacy of export from the surface ocean into the deep ocean, and the associated estimates of carbon sequestration durability
    • Determine the resulting air-sea fluxes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to quantify the additionality of the nutrient fertilization
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any nutrient fertilization activity, including:
      • Changes to upper ocean biology, chemistry, and physics (especially for artificial upwelling)
      • Impacts to upper trophic levels and food web interactions
      • Impacts to existing marine industries and resource needs (e.g., fisheries)
  • For closed systems
    • Demonstrate net negative carbon removal pathways in closed system cultivation
    • Determine sequestration efficacy and durability from various carbon storage possibilities, including land-based burial, storage in the deep ocean, and storage on the seafloor
    • Characterize the environmental impacts, both intentional and unintentional, of any cultivation and sequestration activity, including:
      • Land-based impacts from onshore cultivation construction and operation
      • Impacts from leakage or spill of onshore systems 
      • Impacts to other marine-based operations (e.g., fisheries)

Projects from Ocean CDR Community

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Map optimal locations for microalgae-based approaches and engage with interested and affected constituents

  • Perform siting analyses to identify optimal locations for microalgae CDR that consider the suite of technical, economic, social, and political factors necessary for deployment, as well as potential conflicts and co-benefits with other marine industries (e.g., fisheries, renewable energy, etc.)
  • Perform siting analyses to identify optimal locations for microalgae CDR that consider the suite of technical, economic, social, and political factors necessary for deployment, as well as potential conflicts and co-benefits with other marine industries (e.g., fisheries, renewable energy, etc.)
  • Perform siting analyses to identify optimal locations for microalgae CDR that consider the suite of technical, economic, social, and political factors necessary for deployment, as well as potential conflicts and co-benefits with other marine industries (e.g., fisheries, renewable energy, etc.)

Projects from Ocean CDR Community

No projects listed. Want to add a project to this section? Become a Contributor.

Optimize and/or efficiently automate all approaches for scalability and economic feasibility

  • Develop tools and instruments to increase harvest efficiency for microalgae grown in contained systems 
  • Determine and/or develop optimal microalgae strains for maximally efficient CO2 uptake for various environments and settings
  • Develop tools and instruments to increase harvest efficiency for microalgae grown in contained systems 
  • Determine and/or develop optimal microalgae strains for maximally efficient CO2 uptake for various environments and settings
  • Develop tools and instruments to increase harvest efficiency for microalgae grown in contained systems 
  • Determine and/or develop optimal microalgae strains for maximally efficient CO2 uptake for various environments and settings

Projects from Ocean CDR Community

No projects listed. Want to add a project to this section? Become a Contributor.

Create and adopt of a code of conduct for responsible research

  • There has yet to be widespread adoption of a single code of conduct for CDR research, development, and deployment, although some organizations have proposed guidelines for the development of such a code (see American Geophysical Union and the Aspen Institute) or have an internal code of conduct to which they adhere (see Planetary).
  • There has yet to be widespread adoption of a single code of conduct for CDR research, development, and deployment, although some organizations have proposed guidelines for the development of such a code (see American Geophysical Union and the Aspen Institute) or have an internal code of conduct to which they adhere (see Planetary).
  • There has yet to be widespread adoption of a single code of conduct for CDR research, development, and deployment, although some organizations have proposed guidelines for the development of such a code (see American Geophysical Union and the Aspen Institute) or have an internal code of conduct to which they adhere (see Planetary).

Projects from Ocean CDR Community

No projects listed. Want to add a project to this section? Become a Contributor.

Create government frameworks that facilitate responsible field trials

  • Clear frameworks that allow for responsible field trials of microalgae-based CDR to take place on land, in coastal waters, and in the open ocean are critical to accelerate progress. Without such frameworks there is risk of inappropriate experimental siting and delays in moving research out of the lab and into the real world. Climate interventions are time sensitive and responsible research, development, and deployment relies on comprehensive, cohesive, and effective government structures. 
  • Clear frameworks that allow for responsible field trials of microalgae-based CDR to take place on land, in coastal waters, and in the open ocean are critical to accelerate progress. Without such frameworks there is risk of inappropriate experimental siting and delays in moving research out of the lab and into the real world. Climate interventions are time sensitive and responsible research, development, and deployment relies on comprehensive, cohesive, and effective government structures. 
  • Clear frameworks that allow for responsible field trials of microalgae-based CDR to take place on land, in coastal waters, and in the open ocean are critical to accelerate progress. Without such frameworks there is risk of inappropriate experimental siting and delays in moving research out of the lab and into the real world. Climate interventions are time sensitive and responsible research, development, and deployment relies on comprehensive, cohesive, and effective government structures. 
  • Clear frameworks that allow for responsible field trials of microalgae-based CDR to take place on land, in coastal waters, and in the open ocean are critical to accelerate progress. Without such frameworks there is risk of inappropriate experimental siting and delays in moving research out of the lab and into the real world. Climate interventions are time sensitive and responsible research, development, and deployment relies on comprehensive, cohesive, and effective government structures. 

Projects from Ocean CDR Community

No projects listed. Want to add a project to this section? Become a Contributor.
Help advance Ocean-based CDR road maps. Submit Comments or Content
Suggested Citation:
Ocean Visions. (2024) Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal: Road Maps. Accessed [insert date].

First-Order Priorities projects from the CDR Community