Global Climate News

The 2024 Global Carbon Budget Report indicates that global emissions have continued to rise, falling behind international targets. Scientists at AOML and CIMAS lead global efforts to quantify the exchange of carbon between the ocean and the atmosphere and how it might be changing. The ocean's role in the global carbon cycle is highlighted, comparing it to a personal finance budget where carbon is the currency.

Global seaweed farms have shown increased carbon burial in underlying sediments with farm age, reaching up to 140 tC ha−1. The average organic carbon burial rate was 1.87 ± 0.73 tCO2e ha−1 yr−1, double that of reference sediments. This confirms that seaweed farming buries carbon at rates comparable to some Blue Carbon habitats.

Canada-based Carbon to Sea and COVE, in partnership with Sequoia Scientific, Inc., conducted ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) field trials in Halifax. Sequoia’s LISST sensors measured particle dispersion and water chemistry to assess OAE’s potential as a climate solution. The project involved collaboration with Dalhousie University and Planetary Technologies.

US-based Gigablue signed an agreement with SkiesFifty for the sequestration of 200,000 tons of CO2 over four years. This is the largest marine carbon dioxide removal offtake agreement to date. Gigablue’s technology uses marine carbon fixation and sequestration (MCFS) to store carbon dioxide at a gigaton scale.

\"International parties discussed marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) activities under the London Convention and Protocol. While some progress was made, no concrete action was taken. Differing opinions on commercial activity and governance were expressed among parties including Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. The parties agreed to continue work and evaluate options for appropriate action, including considering both potential risks and benefits of mCDR techniques.\"

US-based Bezos Earth Fund, in partnership with Experiment Foundation, announced the winners and finalists of its $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal Ideation Prize. The prize, structured in two phases, awarded funding to projects focusing on diverse greenhouse gas removal technologies, aiming to significantly contribute towards removing gigatonnes of greenhouse gases annually by 2050.

The Bezos Earth Fund, in collaboration with RMI, published a roadmap outlining a path to achieve ambitious scaled deployment of removal technologies by 2050. The roadmap sets decadal deployment goals, aiming to remove 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year by 2050. This follows a major workshop with the U.S. Department of Energy and Stanford University involving 500+ experts.

The U.S. Congress introduced the bipartisan ReSCUE Oceans Act to provide additional federal funding and support for research, development, and demonstration of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches and technologies. The act highlights the importance of ocean-based CDR in achieving global climate goals, given the ocean's role as a significant carbon sink. World Resources Institute supports the act, emphasizing the need for responsible development and deployment of these approaches.

US-based Equatic has partnered with Arup to advance the world's first large-scale ocean carbon removal facility. Equatic's technology accelerates the ocean's ability to absorb carbon and produce carbon-negative hydrogen. The commercial scale plant aims to remove over 100,000 tons of CO2 annually and produce 3,600 tons of green hydrogen, targeting CDR at less than $100 per ton by 2030.

US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a three-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the Carbon to Sea Initiative. The partnership aims to establish guidelines for marine carbon dioxide removal projects, focusing on research, technology development, and knowledge-sharing to evaluate ocean-based carbon storage potential.

Research investigated anti-dissolution mechanisms of aragonite in acidified seawater using organic and inorganic additives, showing formation of protective layers that prevent dissolution under CO2.

Isometric released a protocol for carbon dioxide removal via wastewater alkalinity enhancement for public consultation. The protocol, developed with input from CREW Carbon, outlines requirements for carbon removal in wastewater treatment using alkaline materials to convert CO2 into bicarbonate ions. CREW Carbon, utilizing a Yale University-developed approach, is the first supplier to issue credits under this protocol.

The Ocean & Climate Platform has announced its participation and key deliverables for COP29 in Baku, including multiple policy briefs on ocean finance, climate action, and biodiversity strategies, along with several events focused on marine carbon removal, coastal resilience, and ocean breakthroughs for achieving climate goals.

A study presents global maps of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) efficiency and assesses seasonal variations in CO2 removal effectiveness. The research identifies critical factors for OAE deployment locations, including latitude and seasonal timing, while also quantifying spatial and temporal scales of CO2 uptake for regional ocean modeling.

Canada-based CarbonRun has secured a $25.4 million deal with Frontier buyers to remove 55,442 tons of CO₂ using river liming between 2025 and 2029. The project will start in Nova Scotia and aims to restore ecosystems and enhance carbon removal in acidified rivers. Stripe has also provided an additional $1M R&D grant to explore river liming in neutral pH rivers.

SeaO₂ partnered with Transavia Ventures, an investment fund focused on sustainable technologies. Transavia Ventures' investment will help SeaO₂ scale its ocean-based carbon removal technology, aiming to expand its global impact and explore ways to support sustainable aviation, including using carbon capture credits and contributing to sustainable aviation fuels (e-SAFs).