White House Releases National Strategy for Marine CO2 Removal Research

The Biden-Harris Administration and NOAA released the National Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Strategy to advance safe and effective research on the benefits, risks and tradeoffs of marine CO2 removal.

Marine CO2 removal refers to activities that increase the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbed and held by the ocean. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change considers CO2 removal, along with rapid and deep emissions reductions over the next 10-20 years, critical to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

There are many possible approaches to marine CO2 removal.

The new national strategy does not replace the need for rapid and deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions but does highlight how marine CO2 removal could be another tool for climate action.  

“The urgency of addressing climate change cannot be overstated,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “We’re at a pivotal moment where science tells us that we must act swiftly and decisively. This strategy reflects the importance of collaborative efforts across multiple sectors, including government, industry and academia, to unlock the potential of marine CO2 removal and supplement critical efforts to reduce emissions.”

The strategy covers biological and non-biological methods.

The Fast Track Action Committee on Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal led the development of the strategy under the National Science and Technology Council. Fourteen federal partners contributed to the Fast Track Action Committee, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.