Why we need a code of conduct for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal

The document advocates for a standardized code of conduct for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to achieve 'net negative emissions' without causing irreparable ecological harm. It proposes five guiding principles—prioritizing collective benefit, establishing government responsibility, committing to open research, performing independent assessments, and engaging the public—as a foundation for all CDR strategies.

• Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal is presented as a critical tool for achieving 'net negative emissions' because the oceans act as a massive carbon sink, containing 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere and 20 times more than land plants and soils.
• Scaling ocean CDR requires answering two fundamental questions: whether carbon can be durably removed from the atmosphere over meaningful time scales and whether the resulting ecological consequences are acceptable or must be avoided.
• The authors propose a five-point code of conduct for CDR research: prioritizing collective benefit to humanity and the environment; requiring governments to clarify oversight and liability; ensuring open, international, and risk-assessed cooperation; conducting independent technical evaluations of impacts; and enabling public participation in decision-making.
• Field experiments are necessary to resolve uncertainties regarding the efficiency, permanence, and quantifiable climatic benefits of CDR, as these outcomes cannot be fully tested via laboratory or model experiments.

APA

Ramakrishna, K., Chai, F., & Yoon, J.-E. (2022). Why we need a code of conduct for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-code-of-conduct/

Chicago

Ramakrishna, Kilaparti, Fei Chai, and Joo-Eun Yoon. Why we need a code of conduct for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal. World Economic Forum, 2022. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-code-of-conduct/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Ramakrishna |first1=Kilaparti |last2=Chai |first2=Fei |last3=Yoon |first3=Joo-Eun |title=Why we need a code of conduct for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=29 June 2022 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-code-of-conduct/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{ramakrishna2022why, author = {Ramakrishna, Kilaparti and Chai, Fei and Yoon, Joo-Eun}, title = {{Why we need a code of conduct for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-code-of-conduct/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }