[PAOCQ] Adam Subhas (WHOI)

“Evaluating Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement for Carbon Dioxide Removal”

In order to meet internationally recognized climate targets, rapid, large-scale emissions reductions and an energy transition must be supplemented by carbon dioxide removal. As the largest carbon reservoir on the Earth’s surface, the oceans are being evaluated for their potential to store anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), with most activity to date being driven by the private sector through a large voluntary carbon market.

In this talk, I will introduce the LOC-NESS Project (Locking Ocean Carbon in the NorthEast Shelf and Slope). We are a team of 20+ scientists, engineers, and communicators committed to a rigorous, independent, scientific evaluation of the effectiveness and environmental impacts of ship-based ocean alkalinity enhancement. We are not participating in the carbon market and have no industrial partners. I will discuss our evaluations of regional ocean conditions and human activities and how they might interact with OAE. I will present the results of our 2023 dye tracking experiment, conducted South of Martha’s Vineyard, with implications for the construction of in-water monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) frameworks for CO2 uptake into the surface ocean. I will discuss our engagement efforts and what we are hearing from communities who care about the impact of OAE on our regional waters. Finally, I will discuss our next steps and plans for an EPA-permitted alkalinity release experiment, planned for Summer 2025.

PAOC Colloquium —

Interdisciplinary seminar series that brings together the whole PAOC (Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate) community. Seminar topics include all research concerning the physics, chemistry, and biology of the atmospheres, oceans and climate, as well as talks about societal impacts of climatic processes.

Contact: paoc-colloquium-comm@mit.edu