Ocean CDR

8 posts

Carbon Dioxide Removal through Coastal Blue Carbon: A Review of Commitments in Nationally Determined Contributions

This blog post was authored by 2024 Sabin Center Summer Intern, Arpana Giritharan, with input and supervision from Johanna Lovecchio, Director of Program Design for Climate Action and Adjunct Professor at Columbia Climate School, and Romany Webb, Deputy Director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. ‘Coastal blue carbon’ […]

Upcoming Developments in International Governance of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal

The next week has the potential to bring important developments for international governance of marine carbon dioxide removal (CDR). That’s because the parties to the London Convention and London Protocol are meeting from October 28 to November 1 in London to discuss, among other things, governance of ocean alkalinity enhancement […]

International Governance of Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal: Recent Developments and Future Directions

Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is attracting increased attention as a possible climate change response strategy. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made clear that, while CDR cannot substitute for rapid and deep cuts in emissions, its use is “unavoidable” if the worst impacts of climate change are […]

Executive Actions to Ensure Safe and Responsible Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal Research in the United States

The Sabin Center published a new report today recommending actions that federal agencies could take to ensure safe and responsible permitting and regulation of ocean carbon dioxide removal (CDR) research in U.S. waters. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that CDR will be needed, alongside deep emissions cuts, […]

Harnessing the Ocean’s Power to Combat the Climate Crisis

While progress is being made, there is still a lot to do. The IPCC has said that, in addition to reducing emissions, it will likely also be necessary to draw greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere to mitigate climate change. The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, an affiliate of the Columbia Climate School, has been exploring various ways of doing that, including through “blue carbon” approaches. Blue carbon is carbon captured by ocean and coastal ecosystems. In this post, we will focus specifically on ocean-based carbon dioxide removal and sequestration, also known as “ocean CDR”.

Developing Model Federal Legislation to Advance Safe and Responsible Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal Research in the United States

The Sabin Center today published model federal legislation to advance safe and responsible ocean carbon dioxide removal (CDR) research in U.S. waters. Controlled field trials and other in-ocean research is critical to improve scientific and societal understanding of CDR techniques that could help the U.S. reach its climate goals. However, […]

Removing Carbon Dioxide Through Artificial Upwelling and Downwelling: Legal Challenges and Opportunities

  In a report published last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that, to keep global average temperatures within 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels, greenhouse gas emissions must reach net zero by mid-century. According to the IPCC, to achieve net zero emissions, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be […]