Dresden 2011 – scientific programme

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SOE: Fachverband Physik sozio-ökonomischer Systeme

SOE 9: Foundations and Perspectives of Climate Engineering (with AKE and UP)

SOE 9.1: Invited Talk

Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 10:30–11:00, HSZ 01

Oceanic carbon-dioxide removal options: Potential impacts and side effects — •Andreas Oschlies — IFM-GEOMAR, University of Kiel, Germany

Ocean fertilization and alkalinity enhancement by accelerated weathering of limestone or silicate rocks have been suggested as possible options for sequestering atmospheric CO₂. These methods would have intended and unintended, local and remote impacts on marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. An overview is given on current estimates of the CO₂ sequestration potential of various fertilization and alkalinity-enhancement techniques. Impacts and possible side effects are discussed in a quantitative manner based on results of small-scale field studies and global Earth System model simulations for a business-as-usual CO₂ emission scenario. According to these results, the sequestration potential of the individual oceanic CO₂ removal methods is limited to a small fraction of current anthropogenic emissions. While it is obvious that all methods have undesired side effects, these have to be evaluated against the side effects resulting from an unabated rise in atmospheric CO₂ levels.