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Carbon Dioxide Removal


Ocean Iron Fertilization

Ocean Iron Fertilization is the process of adding iron filings to seawater to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton that absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. Ocean fertilization seeks to take advantage of the ocean's natural carbon pump, which uses carbon dioxide at the sea surface and incorporates the carbon, via photosynthesis, into biological tissues which can fall or be transported to the deep ocean. Certain areas of the ocean, including the Southern Ocean, have plentiful nutrients but lack iron, a key trace micronutrient that sea plants known as phytoplankton need to grow. So fertilization with iron has been proposed as a means of accelerating the carbon pump and increasing the size of the ocean carbon sink.
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The Who, What, and Wherefore of Geoengineering Governance

2012
Scholarly Work
Daniel Bodansky
This article analyzes the possible functions, forms, objects and agents of geoengineering governance and explores four scenarios of particular concern: inadequate research funding, premature rejection, unilateral individual and state action.

A Tale of Two Carbon Sinks: Can Forest Carbon Management Serve as a Framework to Implement Ocean Iron Fertilization as a Climate Change Treaty Compliance Mechanism?

2011
Scholarly Work
Randall S. Abate
This article addresses the international governance challenges to consistently and effectively regulate ocean iron fertilization using forest carbon management as a framework example.

Remaking the World to Save It: Applying U.S. Environmental Laws to Climate Engineering Projects

2011
Scholarly Work
Tracy D. Hester
This Article examines how U.S. environmental laws might apply to climate engineering research and how the U.S. courts would review disputes over those projects.

Geoengineering the Climate: Technological Solutions to Mitigation – Failure or Continuing Carbon Addiction?

2011
Scholarly Work
Catherine Redgwell
This article considers the complex and controversial issue of climate geoengineering, examining the international legal framework for regulating large-scale interventions in the Earth’s climate system, using ocean iron fertilization as an example.

Regulating Climate Engineering: Paradigmatic Aspects of the Regulation of Ocean Fertilization

2011
Scholarly Work
Till Markus, Harald Ginzky
This article will assess to what extent legal concepts discussed, developed and adopted in the regulatory process under the London Convention and Protocol can provide useful ideas and concepts for the future regulation of other climate engineering.

International Environmental Governance: Managing Fragmentation Through Institutional Connection

2011
Scholarly Work
Karen N. Scott
This article argues that the creation of formal cooperative arrangements represent an important mechanism for managing the consequences of the fragmentation of international law and improving the effectiveness of environmental governance.

Geoengineering, Ocean Fertilization, and the Problem of Permissible Pollution

2011
Scholarly Work
Benjamin Hale , Lisa Dilling
This paper explores the "Problem of Permissible Pollution," or the question whether it is permissible to remediate one pollutant by introducing a second pollutant, as related to ocean fertilization.

Governing Climate Engineering: Scenarios for Analysis

2011
Scholarly Work
Daniel Bodansky
This report discusses the permissibility of geoengineering under international law and whether international norms matter in the scheme of geoengineering governance.

Geoengineering: A national strategic plan for research on the potential effectiveness, feasibility, and consequences of climate remediation technologies

2011
Think Tank Report
The Bipartisan Policy Center
This report presents the conclusions of the Task Force on Climate Remediation Research, which was convened by the Bipartisan Policy Center in 2010 to develop recommendations for the U.S. government on geoengineering research and oversight policy.

IPCC Expert Meeting on Geoengineering

2011
Scientific Report
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
This meeting report summarizes discussions of three Working Groups to the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) on geoengineering, including carbon dioxide removal.

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