US targets viable climate solutions with launch of strategy for marine CO2 removal research

The U.S. White House and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have released a national strategy for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) research, which outlines how research could be safely and effectively accelerated, helping determine if emerging approaches are viable climate solutions.

The National Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Strategy defines mCDR as any method that accelerates biological or non-biological processes to move carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the ocean carbon sink.

This strategy is said to be guided by the objective established in the Ocean Climate Action Plan (OCAP) to build sufficient knowledge about the efficacy, safety, and tradeoffs of different methods of mCDR by 2030 to further guide decisions about potential deployment. It focuses on defining and guiding the interdisciplinary research needed to determine whether deployment of any mCDR approaches should be pursued, and if so, how the Federal government should prioritize those approaches.

It is set to guide the U.S. government’s efforts to fill critical knowledge gaps on mCDR approaches, as well as inform how to maximize co-benefits while mitigating the potential negative environmental, societal, and human health impacts and safety risks.

“The urgency of addressing climate change cannot be overstated,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “We’re at a pivotal moment where science tells us that we must act swiftly and decisively.  This strategy reflects the importance of collaborative efforts across multiple sectors, including government, industry and academia, to unlock the potential of mCDR and supplement critical efforts to reduce emissions.”

The strategy covers all approaches, including biological and non-biological methods. Descriptions of each approach are outlined in NOAA’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Strategy, published in May 2023. 

According to NOAA, it does not replace the need for rapid and deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions but highlights how mCDR could be another tool for climate action.

“Our changing climate is already negatively impacting communities and ecosystems,” said Assistant Administrator for NOAA Research and NOAA’s acting Chief Scientist Steven Thur. “Research is needed to determine the benefits, risks and climate trade-offs of potential future marine carbon dioxide removal deployment. This work could foster a future where climate change impacts are reduced and our ecosystems are resilient.”

The Fast Track Action Committee on Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal led the development of the strategy under the National Science and Technology Council, with 14 federal partners contributing to the committee, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.