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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Ocean alkalinity enhancement, a technique using alkaline minerals to boost the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon, is gaining traction among scientists and companies
• Start-ups like Nova Scotia-based Planetary and Ebb Carbon are already piloting projects, removing significant carbon amounts for major clients
• Advocates argue this technology could meet carbon removal needs as emissions reduction alone falls short
🔭 The context: This method mimics natural processes where alkaline rocks react with seawater to form bicarbonate ions, trapping carbon for millennia
• It's touted as one of the most cost-effective and long-term solutions for carbon capture
However, scaling to billions of metric tons annually is essential to make a global impact
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Enhanced carbon removal can mitigate climate change while preventing ocean acidification, which threatens marine ecosystems
• Acidification disrupts shell and skeleton formation in marine organisms, critical to the ocean's food web
Balancing environmental and industrial needs is vital for sustainable adoption
⏭️ What's next: Further research is needed to assess effectiveness, scalability, and ecosystem impacts
• Techniques such as leveraging desalination plant waste streams or adding minerals via ships are under exploration
• Regulation and industry acceptance remain hurdles, with localized opposition highlighting the need for thorough impact studies
💬 One quote: “In theory, [ocean alkalinity enhancement] has a lot going for it. But more research is needed to determine how effective it is and how permanent the carbon removal is.” – Andy Jacobson, geochemist at Northwestern University
📈 One stat: Planetary removed 138 metric tons of carbon last month for Shopify and Stripe, while Ebb Carbon committed to removing 350,000 metric tons over the next decade for Microsoft
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