According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C, emissions reductions alone will not suffice, and large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be necessary. A growing body of practitioners is looking to the ocean’s role in CDR; however, most proposals are still in either lab-based stages or small-scale field testing. As interest from private and public investors grows, there is an increasing need to improve our scientific understanding of the potential environmental, ecological, and societal implications of each proposed strategy at scale, and to communicate these developments to policymakers to support informed decision-making.

Ocean Science Trust is responding to calls to “cut through the noise” and bring objective science to the table. We are equipping lawmakers with the latest scientific information on the potential risks and benefits of mCDR, and convening experts to provide science-based direction for responsible mCDR research and development. Critically, OST is leveraging our trusted, neutral role to ensure that fit-for-purpose science will guide California’s strategy going forward.