The cost of carbon management using ocean nourishment

• Published in: International journal of climate change strategies and management 2014-11, Vol.6 (4), p.391-400
• Main Author: Jones, Ian SF
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Ammonia; Ammonium; Ammonium hydroxide; Atmosphere; Carbon cycle; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide concentration; Carbon dioxide emissions; Carbon dioxide removal; Carbon sequestration; Chlorophyll; Climate change; Costs; Environmental issues; Exports; Fertilization; Geoengineering; Marine; Mitigation; Nitrogen; Nutrients; Phosphorus; Plankton; Public policy & environmental management; R&D; Radiation; Research & development; Ships; Water quality
• ISSN: 1756-8692; 1756-8706
• DOI: 10.1108/IJCCSM-11-2012-0063

Purpose – A current estimate of the cost of reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by Ocean Nourishment is provided. A scenario of fertilisation of the ocean in regions of excess phosphorous, carried out using a ship to distribute ammonium hydroxide, is examined. Design/methodology/approach – Ocean fertilisation could be deployed to draw down the carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere and store it for millennia in the deep ocean. Findings – The costs of fertilising the ocean with macronutrient depends mostly on the cost of producing the nutrient and the cost of its delivery. Macronutrient fertilisation has been calculated, for a particular scenario, to cost US$20 per tonne of carbon dioxide emission avoided for 100 years. Research limitations/implications – There is a collateral benefit of increased fish stocks, which is not considered here. The ocean, plausibly, has the capacity to sequester more than one Gigatonne per year of carbon (∼3.7 Gt CO2/yr) via macronutrient fertilisation. Practical implications – This modest cost of reducing climate change justifies further research and development of ocean macronutrient fertilisation. Social implications – The modest cost allows climate change to be addressed without serious economic disruption. Originality/value – The study reported is a contribution to mitigation of climate change.