993 / 2024-09-20 00:33:01
Uncertainties in marine inorganic system observations, implications for marine carbon dioxide removal efficacy
mCDR,ocean acidification,Uncertainties
Session 29 - Advances and Challenges in Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR)
Abstract Accepted
Ryan Woosley / Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The oceans naturally absorb a quarter to a third of human carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, slowing the impacts of climate change but also causing detrimental impacts to ocean ecosystems by altering seawater chemistry. Quantifying the uptake of anthropogenic CO2 and the resulting ocean acidification is challenging due to the high levels of accuracy and precision required of observations that must span decades and are often conducted by multiple laboratories with a variety of methods. In addition, natural variability in the marine carbon cycle combined with sparse observations further compounds the uncertainties. Recently, enhancing the ocean’s ability to take up CO2 (marine CO2 removal or mCDR) as a way to combat climate change and meet emissions targets has received growing attention. Monitoring, validation, and reporting of any mCDR strategy will require a detailed understanding of uncertainties in observations along with a well-designed measurement plan. Here we use new laboratory experiments and direct ocean observations to evaluate uncertainties from the perspective of mCDR observational requirements and challenges.