The U.S. can help lead on understanding the potential for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal

The briefing outlines the potential of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to remove billions of tons of CO2 annually, categorizing methods into biological (e.g., seaweed sinking) and abiotic (e.g., alkalinity enhancement) processes. It highlights a funding gap between land-based and ocean-based CDR, noting that while the U.S. government has established strategies through NOAA and the White House, more substantial investment is needed. The document lists current federal initiatives, proposed legislation like the Carbon Dioxide Removal Research and Development Act of 2023, and private sector activity from companies such as Microsoft and Shopify to advocate for a robust scientific foundation for responsible deployment.

• Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is divided into biological ("biotic") processes, such as cultivating and sinking seaweed, and chemical ("abiotic") processes, such as ocean alkalinity enhancement which adds ground-up alkaline rock to seawater.
• While ocean CDR has the potential to remove billions of tons of CO2 per year, there is significant uncertainty regarding its long-term storage effectiveness and its impacts on the environment and human populations.
• U.S. federal funding for ocean CDR has lagged behind land-based CDR, despite strategic steps such as the 2023 White House Ocean Climate Action Plan and the creation of a Fast-Track Action Committee on Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal.
• Several legislative proposals exist to increase support for ocean CDR, including the Carbon Dioxide Removal Research and Development Act of 2023, which proposes over $1 billion in funding over 10 years specifically for ocean CDR.
• Private sector engagement is growing, with companies like Running Tide, Captura, Ebb Carbon, Equatic, and Vesta developing technologies, and corporations such as Microsoft, Shopify, and the Frontier coalition purchasing carbon removal credits.

APA

World Resources Institute (2024). The U.S. can help lead on understanding the potential for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2024-11/briefing-us-ocean-based-carbon-removal.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The U.S. can help lead on understanding the potential for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal. 2024. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2024-11/briefing-us-ocean-based-carbon-removal.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The U.S. can help lead on understanding the potential for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal |date=2024 |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2024-11/briefing-us-ocean-based-carbon-removal.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2024can, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The U.S. can help lead on understanding the potential for ocean-based carbon dioxide removal}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2024}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2024-11/briefing-us-ocean-based-carbon-removal.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }