How an antacid for the ocean could cool the Earth

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

Click for more news covering the latest on green tech and climate change mitigation