How COP28 can help accelerate research around the ocean's carbon removal potential

The ocean is the world's largest carbon sink, but more research is needed to determine how to safely harness its potential for carbon dioxide removal. The document calls for a coordinated effort across science, technology, and policy to prove the viability of mCDR pathways by 2030, urging COP28 participants to commit to financing and regulatory frameworks for this research.

• Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is deemed essential alongside emissions reductions and adaptation because emission reductions alone cannot guarantee the avoidance of catastrophic climate change, necessitating a transition to "net negative" atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
• The ocean is identified as a critical resource for carbon clean-up because it is the world's largest carbon sink, sequestering 50 times more carbon in the deep ocean than is present in the atmosphere.
• Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) methods are categorized into biotic approaches, which rely on organisms, and abiotic approaches, which do not. Specific potential methods include the use of alkaline minerals or liquids, electrochemistry to strip CO2 from seawater, artificial upwelling or downwelling, nutrient fertilization to spur algae growth, the cultivation of carbon-capturing seaweed, and the restoration of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrasses.
• Significant gaps in data and information exist regarding mCDR, specifically concerning its additionality, durability, scalability, cost, safety, and the ability to monitor, report, and verify carbon removal at climate-relevant scales.
• A proposed road map by Ocean Visions aims to prove or disprove mCDR viability by 2030 through three pillars: science (controlled field trials with third-party monitoring), technology (optimization using AI and synbio), and policy (regulatory frameworks and formal recognition by national governments and the UNFCCC).
• COP28 is viewed as a strategic opportunity for nations to collaborate on mCDR by committing to research and development financing and creating the regulatory frameworks necessary for safe research.

APA

Ack, S. Z. B. (2023). How COP28 can help accelerate research around the ocean's carbon removal potential. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-research-cop28/

Chicago

Ack, Sam Zak, Brad. How COP28 can help accelerate research around the ocean's carbon removal potential. World Economic Forum, 2023. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-research-cop28/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Ack |first1=Sam Zak, Brad |title=How COP28 can help accelerate research around the ocean's carbon removal potential |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=17 November 2023 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-research-cop28/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{ack2023how, author = {Ack, Sam Zak, Brad}, title = {{How COP28 can help accelerate research around the ocean's carbon removal potential}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/ocean-carbon-dioxide-removal-research-cop28/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }