Iron fertilization: Scientists want to add the element to the ocean to capture carbon

Iron fertilization is a controversial method of removing carbon from the atmosphere (Image credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images) By Devika Rao, The Week US published 22 September 2024 The climate is warming, and much of the increase is due to greenhouse gases, the most prevalent gas being carbon dioxide. Methods for removing existing carbon from the atmosphere are in the works, and some experts are arguing in favor of iron fertilization, a geoengineering approach which would help oceans trap atmospheric carbon. While the method has potential, the consequences of implementing it are still largely unknown. Iron in the ocean An article published in the journal Frontiers in Climate lays out a program for implementing iron fertilization to help fight climate change . Ocean iron fertilization (OIF) is a “technique where small amounts of micronutrient iron are released onto the surface of the sea to stimulate the growth of marine plants known as phytoplankton,” said Euronews . “This rapid growth removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. When the plankton die or are eaten, some of that carbon is captured as it sinks deep into the ocean.” Geoengineering like OIF has long been in discussion as a way to mitigate carbon emissions. “Given the ocean’s large capacity for carbon storage … enhancing the ocean’s natural ability to store carbon should be considered,” Paul Morris, one of the authors of the study and the project manager for international experts group Exploring Ocean Iron Solutions (ExOIS), said in a statement . ExOIS wants to conduct iron fertilization trials to determine whether the technology could be implemented on a larger scale. “This is the first time in over a decade that the marine scientific community has come together to endorse a specific research plan for ocean iron,” Ken Buesseler, […]

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