Developing Monitoring and Verifications Framework for Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal in the Canadian Atlantic Waters (Bedford Basin, Canada)

In response to the current climate crisis and since the Paris COP21, there has been widespread international agreement on limiting warming to < 2°C. Two recent IPCC reports have emphasized that the most feasible pathway to limiting warming to 2°C or less is to deploy both climate mitigation (emissions reduction) and intervention (Carbon dioxide removal) to achieve “net negative emissions” by the end of this century. In this project, we will monitor and verify one method of ocean carbon dioxide removal (CDR) called Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) that in its final, tested form would be acceptable to stakeholders, governance bodies and carbon credit markets. OAE can be achieved through a variety of approaches. Most are either directly or indirectly linked to the chemical weathering of minerals, which neutralize protons when they dissolve in the ocean and increase the ocean's capacity for CO2 uptake and counteract ocean acidification, which is considered an environmental threat to a range of marine ecosystems. Benefits to Canada of such an approach would include acceleration of a highly scalable CDR pathway and kick-starting a new industry of ocean-based CDR verification and measurement technology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Douglas Wallace

Student:

Partner:

Pro-Oceanus Systems Inc

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: