Marine Snow Storms: Assessing the Environmental Risks of Ocean Fertilization
The adverse impacts of anthropogenically induced climate change on the terrestrial and marine environments have been acknowledged by a succession of expert reports commissioned by global and national bodies.1 This recognition has prompted a variety of marine geo-engineering schemes to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate change on the environment including enhanced schemes to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using the world’s oceans.
The threats posed by climate change to the global environment have fostered heightened scientific and commercial interest in marine geo-engineering schemes designed to boost the capacity of the oceans to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. This is the primary goal of a process known as ocean fertilization, which seeks to increase the production of organic material in the surface ocean in order to promote further draw down of photosynthesised carbon to the deep ocean. This article describes the process of ocean fertilization, its objectives and potential impacts on the marine environment, and some examples of ocean fertilization experiments. It analyses the applicability of international law principles on marine environmental protection to this process and the regulatory gaps and ambiguities in the existing international law framework for such activities. Finally it examines the emerging regulatory framework for legitimate scientific experiments involving ocean fertilization being developed by the London Convention and London Protocol Scientific Groups and its potential implications for the proponents of ocean fertilization trials.
| Copyright: | © Lexxion Verlagsgesellschaft mbH | |
| Quelle: | Issue 4/2009 (Dezember 2009) | |
| Seiten: | 11 | |
| Preis inkl. MwSt.: | € 41,65 | |
| Autor: | Robin Warner  | |
| Artikel weiterleiten | In den Warenkorb legen
| Artikel kommentieren |
Diese Fachartikel könnten Sie auch interessieren:
Across the Top of the World? Emerging Arctic Navigational Opportunities and Arctic Governance
© Lexxion Verlagsgesellschaft mbH (12/2009)
The Arctic Ocean has witnessed dramatic thinning and melting of sea ice cover as a consequence of climate change in recent years. This has led to increasing access to and thus activities in the Arctic region, including with regard to shipping. Arctic navigational opportunities are examined and it is concluded that there are a number of major obstacles to Arctic routes transforming the pathways of global trade, at least in the immediate future. The likely future opening up of Arctic sea lanes does, however, provide a focal point for increasing external interest in the region and for changes in oceans governance.
Marine Biodiversity and Climate Change
© Lexxion Verlagsgesellschaft mbH (12/2009)
There is now a general consensus that global warming is real and that one of the factors forcing climate change is the anthropogenic addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The implications of climate change for ecosystems are, however, not yet entirely understood. As the oceans cover 71% of the earth’s surface and play a major role in the global carbon cycle, it is important to understand how a changing climate will affect the biota not only of terrestrial systems, but also of the marine environment.
Assessing Climate Neutrality and Circularity in LCA – Methodology and Application in a Case Study
© Lehrstuhl für Abfallverwertungstechnik und Abfallwirtschaft der Montanuniversität Leoben (12/2024)
Climate neutrality and circularity are two main challenges and can only be addressed by the methodology of dynamic Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), where GHG emissions, resource demand and material recovery are calculated over the life time from construction, operation until the end of life management.
Klimaschutzpotenziale der thermischen Abfallbehandlung
© Universität Kassel (6/2010)
Die Abfallwirtschaft leistet einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz. In Deutschland sind die Hauptpotenziale zur Treibhausgassenkung im Abfallsektor durch die Einstellung der Deponierung unvorbehandelten Siedlungsabfalls bereits ausgeschöpft. Bereits im Jahr 2006 hat die Siedlungsabfallwirtschaft einen Beitrag von 18 Millionen Tonnen CO2-Äquivalenten zur Reduktion der gesamten Treibhausgase geleistet, das bedeutet gegenüber 1990 eine Senkung um 56 Mio. t CO2-Äq.
Climate Change and CO2 in the Oceans and Global Oceans Governance
© Lexxion Verlagsgesellschaft mbH (12/2009)
Improving Governance of the World’s Oceans
