Videos
Can Rocks Fix the Climate and Heal the Sea?
An Online PTCS Workshop • December 5th, 2024
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Dr. Richard Feely (NOAA/PMEL) presents on "The Combined Effects of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia" (Part 1) with Dr. Nina Bednarsek (Oregon State University) at our December 5th, 2024 Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions workshop: Can Rocks Fix the Climate and Heal the Sea?
Richard Feely from NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory discusses ocean acidification in the Pacific Northwest, one of the most vulnerable regions globally. He explains how rising atmospheric CO₂ leads to ocean acidification through chemical reactions that increase hydrogen ion concentration, lowering pH and reducing carbonate availability, which threatens calcifying marine organisms. He highlights how coastal upwelling and biological respiration amplify acidification, making subsurface waters particularly susceptible. Using models and observational data, he demonstrates that acidification is progressing rapidly, with pH declines exceeding EPA water quality criteria in some areas. He emphasizes that adding ocean alkalinity could counteract these changes, offering a potential strategy to mitigate acidification’s impacts.
Duration: 22 minutes 59 seconds
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Dr. Nina Bednarsek (Oregon State University) presents on "The Combined Effects of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia" (Part 2) with Dr. Richard Feeley (NOAA PMEL) at our December 5th, 2024 Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions workshop: Can Rocks Fix the Climate and Heal the Sea? Dr. Richard Feeley's portion of the presentation (Part 1) will be posted soon.
Dr. Bednarsek discusses the urgent need to understand the biological impacts of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), emphasizing that while the chemistry of OAE is relatively well-studied, biology remains under-researched. Her work synthesizes data from ocean acidification studies to predict species-level and functional group responses to OAE, revealing mixed outcomes: 40% of species show no change, 35% respond positively, and 25% are negatively affected. She highlights the importance of realistic field studies and dynamic modeling to address knowledge gaps, cautioning against unintended ecological shifts from large-scale OAE implementation. Dr. Bednarsek calls for strategic, interdisciplinary approaches to ensure safe and effective use of OAE as a climate intervention tool.
Duration: 11 minutes 50 seconds
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Mike Robinson (University of Washington, Basic Dust, PACCLEAN) presents on "Enhanced Rock Weathering and River Liming for Freshwater and Coastal Remediation" at our December 5th, 2024 Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions workshop: Can Rocks Fix the Climate and Heal the Sea?
Mike Robinson, co-founder and leader of PACCLEAN.org—the Pacific Coast Legacy Emissions Action Network—and head of Basic Dust, focuses on addressing the dual crises of climate change and ocean acidification. He highlights the critical need for greenhouse gas removal, not as a substitute for emissions reduction or adaptation but as a necessary complement to address the legacy of 2 trillion tons of greenhouse gas emissions, with 40 billion tons added annually. At Basic Dust, Robinson works on enhanced weathering, a process that involves spreading alkaline rock dust, such as olivine, on agricultural fields. This reaction with carbonic acid forms bicarbonate, which is transported to the ocean for long-term carbon storage. He underscores the scalability of this method and its co-benefits, such as improved crop yields and rural job creation. Robinson also shares insights from a recent kiloton-scale demonstration project in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, acknowledging the challenges of measuring carbon removal but remaining hopeful about enhanced weathering's potential to combat climate change effectively.
Duration: 18 min 16 seconds
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Dr. Janine Ash (Capture6) presents on "Climate, Water and Ocean Health: Addressing the Root Cause of Climate Change Along With its Symptoms" at our December 5th, 2024 Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions workshop: Can Rocks Fix the Climate and Heal the Sea?
In this presentation, Janine Ash discusses Capture6's hybrid carbon dioxide removal solutions that address multiple climate and community challenges beyond just CO₂ removal. She shares her personal motivation, rooted in experiencing climate disasters in the Gulf Coast, and emphasizes the urgency of CDR in addressing climate change alongside emissions reductions. Janine introduces planetary boundaries, highlighting risks like CO₂ concentrations, freshwater changes, and ocean acidification. She explains how Capture6 integrates brine from wastewater treatment to produce freshwater, industrial decarbonization chemicals, and sodium hydroxide for direct air capture (DAC). The captured CO₂ reacts to form sodium carbonate, which can be used for ocean alkalinity enhancement, mitigating acidification and storing carbon long-term. She highlights projects like "Project Monarch" in Southern California, which demonstrates the potential for scalable, impactful CDR solutions.
Duration: 17 minutes 15 seconds
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Jake Cohen (Alaska Sea Grant Fellow) presents on "Clam Gardens: A Nature-Based Solution to Ocean Acidification" at our December 5th, 2024 Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions workshop: Can Rocks Fix the Climate and Heal the Sea?
In this presentation, Jake Cohen, an Alaska Sea Grant Fellow, discusses the use of nature-based solutions and traditional knowledge to address ocean acidification across the North Pacific. He highlights the role of clam gardens, an ancient method of shellfish cultivation, in mitigating ocean acidification by artificially increasing aragonite levels in coastal waters. This technique, used by indigenous communities along the Pacific Northwest, allows for better shellfish growth by incorporating shell hash into mudflats, promoting larval development and adult shellfish survival. Cohen explains how modern clam gardens, alongside a statewide ocean acidification monitoring program, are revitalizing cultural practices while providing critical data on local water conditions. He emphasizes the importance of these efforts in addressing both environmental challenges and cultural revitalization in the region.
Duration: 10 min 23 seconds
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For millennia, Indigenous people have depended on marine life, and today, they are taking an active role in restoring our oceans. Daryl Williams, a member of the Tulalip Tribes and an environmental consultant, emphasizes the threats posed by ocean acidification—a direct result of climate pollution—on vital fisheries, including shellfish and salmon, which are central to tribal culture and livelihoods.
With over 2 trillion tons of carbon pollution already in the atmosphere and 40 billion more being added each year, the impacts on marine ecosystems are severe. Mike Robinson, co-founder of Basic Dust (https://basicdust.com/) & PACCLEAN (https://pacclean.org/), discusses the importance of large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to not only stop further damage but also begin reversing the existing pollution. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) and ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) are emerging as promising solutions, helping to remove carbon while improving water quality and agricultural yields.
The video also highlights a water recycling project in Southern California, where Jeanine Ash, Director and Head of OAE & MRV at Capture6 (https://capture6.org/), describes how brine waste from desalination is repurposed to capture carbon and increase water recovery. These integrated approaches offer multiple environmental and community benefits, reinforcing the idea that addressing climate change is not just about saving the planet — it's about securing our future.
Jessica Rose, Video Production Specialist and Editor, Global Ocean Health
Duration: 6 minutes 55 seconds
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Natural resource managers and policy makers mostly manage people. The resources, e.g., fish, trees, water, will generally “take care of themselves” when rules and systems are in place to ensure sustainability. However, until recently, natural resource management and environment-focused scientific institutions have overlooked the collection of information about human behavior, incentives, conflict, policy design principles and many other human dimension topics that can improve the likelihood of successful policies. Conservation and management measures often falter when they are built on incomplete information, aiming to protect healthy ecological and biophysical conditions without recognizing the indispensable role of Tribes and other local users and stewards (the “public”) in conserving any public trust resource.
One of the key insights of applied human dimensions research is that the success of environmental planning is highly dependent on whether people who are impacted feel that they have input into policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. Patrick’s case studies will show how careful collection and use of social information can help to improve outcomes in resource management and conservation.
Duration: 47 min 16 seconds
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The presentation by Dr. Wil Burns explores the critical role of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) in climate policy. CDR encompasses human activities that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in geological, terrestrial, or oceanic reservoirs. The discussion includes the definition of CDR, its necessity in combating greenhouse gas emissions, and various CDR approaches, including natural methods like afforestation, combined strategies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and technological solutions like direct air capture. Dr. Burns emphasizes that CDR is distinct from emissions reduction strategies, outlining its potential roles in climate policy as a near-term tool to reduce net emissions, a mid-term strategy to balance residual emissions, and a long-term approach to achieve net-negative emissions.
Dr. Burns also highlights the escalating risks of climate change, noting that even a 1.5°C temperature rise will lead to severe consequences for vulnerable regions, while a 2°C increase will exacerbate impacts like droughts and species extinction. Despite the goals set by the 2016 Paris Agreement, global emissions have increased by 7%, necessitating CDR as a critical tool for reducing atmospheric CO2 levels and buying time for decarbonization. He outlines the significant amount of CDR required by mid-century, ranging from 1.5 to 10 billion tons, especially to address emissions from hard-to-abate sectors like steel and aviation. While current CDR efforts are minimal, with only about 0.1% coming from engineered solutions, Dr. Burns stresses the need for a diversified portfolio of CDR technologies, including marine-based solutions and direct air capture, to meet climate goals despite the challenges in scaling these solutions.
Duration: 40 minutes 45 seconds
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This video features Whitney Jones, Executive Director of the Indigenous Greenhouse Gas Removal Commission (IGGRC), discussing the commission's mission and priorities with Francesca Hillery, Director of Programs and Partnerships at Partnerships for Tribal Carbon Solutions. Together, they explore the IGGRC's goals to support tribal leadership in the growing greenhouse gas removal industry, focusing on climate change mitigation, environmental justice, sovereignty, cultural preservation, and economic opportunities.
Whitney emphasizes the importance of tribes being active in decisions about carbon removal technologies, which have the potential to impact tribal lands and communities for generations. She highlights the IGGRC's key activities, including expanding tribal engagement, advocating for policies that recognize Indigenous contributions, and building a strong knowledge base. Immediate goals for the IGGRC include growing membership, raising awareness, and mobilizing resources to further support Indigenous participation in climate solutions.
Duration: 12 min 39 seconds
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In this video, Chief Harvey McLeod, the elected chief of the Upper Nicola Band, reflects on his community's journey to address the climate crisis through carbon recovery solutions. He discusses the Upper Nicola Band’s partnership with Carbon Engineering to build a carbon recovery facility locally. When some questioned why the facility wasn’t being built in larger, more polluted cities like Vancouver, Los Angeles, or Shanghai, Chief McLeod explained that their community had the land and energy resources necessary to support the project—making it the logical choice for this important initiative.
Duration: 1 min 38 seconds
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Biochar, a carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis, has promising potential as a carbon removal solution, but there are complex challenges surrounding its application, effectiveness, and scalability. Research shows biochar can improve soil quality and reduce greenhouse gases, offering greater climate benefits than some bioenergy uses. However, questions remain about its overall effectiveness due to varying soil responses, potential environmental risks, and the resource demands for large-scale production. The process involves complex variables, including differences in feedstocks and pyrolysis techniques, which impact the stability and efficacy of biochar as a climate solution. Consequently, more context-specific studies and field trials are necessary to fully understand its benefits and limitations.
Despite these uncertainties, biochar is currently the most mature engineered CDR method, representing a significant share of carbon credits on voluntary markets. Companies like Microsoft have made large purchases, yet biochar production levels are still far from the scale required to meet global climate targets. Growth in biochar's adoption faces economic and regulatory hurdles, with high upfront costs, regulatory complexity, and limited long-term data affecting large-scale deployment. While biochar could play a substantial role in meeting mid-century carbon removal needs, its scalability depends on advancing research, developing supportive policies, and optimizing production to maximize both climate and soil benefits.
Duration: 47 minutes 45 seconds
Introduction to Carbon Removal
Overview of Carbon Removal
Resources provided by The Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal.
What is Carbon Removal? - A brief introduction to carbon removal.
Explainer: Carbon Removal - An in-depth introduction to carbon removal.
Nature-based solutions to climate change - Conserving, restoring, or better managing ecosystems
Carbon capture & use - Carbon capture & use (CCU), sometimes called carbon utilization or carbon-to-value, involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and using it in economically beneficial ways.
Prominent Methods for Carbon Removal
Resources provided by The Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal.
Agroforestry - Agroforestry mixes trees with other agricultural land-use, such as fields crops and livestock, increasing soil carbon.
Bioenergy with CCS or BECCS - Capturing and sequestering carbon from biofuels and bioenergy plants.
Biochar - Creating charcoal and burying it or plowing it into fields.
Direct air capture - Building machines that would suck carbon dioxide directly out of the atmosphere and bury it.
Enhanced mineralization - Accelerates the natural processes by which various minerals absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Forestation - Planting massive new forests.
Mass timber - A carbon removal technique that involves using specialized wood products to construct buildings, including high-rise buildings.
Soil carbon sequestration - Using no-till agriculture and other practices to increase the amount of carbon stored in soils.
Ocean-Based Methods
Resources provided by Ocean Visions.
Artificial Upwelling and Downwelling - Artificial downwelling refers to the downward transfer of surface water and carbon to the deep ocean; artificial upwelling refers to pumping up cooler, nutrient-rich waters from the deep to stimulate phytoplankton activity and draw down carbon dioxide.
Deep Sea Storage - Carbon capture and storage (CCS) involves capturing CO₂ from large sources and storing it in geological formations, deep ocean waters, or through mineralization, with options for permanent sequestration using plant or seaweed waste.
Electrochemical Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal - Electrochemical ocean carbon dioxide removal uses electricity to create acidic and basic solutions from seawater, enabling CO₂ extraction, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and durable carbon stabilization.
Microalgae Cultivation - Microalgae cultivation involves enhancing ocean primary productivity by adding nutrients like iron or using artificial upwelling, stimulating phytoplankton growth that absorbs CO₂ and can lead to long-term sequestration in the deep ocean.
Macroalgae Cultivation and Carbon Sequestration - Macroalgae (also known as seaweed) converts dissolved CO₂ into organic carbon through photosynthesis.
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement - Adding alkaline substances to seawater to accelerate the ocean’s natural carbon sink.
Blue Carbon Restoration and Carbon Sequestration - Coastal vegetated ecosystems, like salt marshes and mangroves, sequester CO₂ through photosynthesis and store carbon in roots and sediments for millennia, while restoration and protection of these habitats prevent carbon release, and marine animals, such as fish and whales, may also contribute to ocean carbon storage if their populations recover.
Key Readings
Agenda for a Progressive Political Economy of Carbon Removal - The Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal, Feb 2024. In this report, IRCR “look[s] to the possible versions of a future with carbon removal, imagining its best forms, its worst forms, and its most likely forms.”
State of the Science: Carbon Dioxide Removal’s Role in Achieving Paris Agreement’s Goals - The Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal, 2021. More than a decade’s worth of research finds that carbon dioxide removal, which is removing carbon pollution from the atmosphere and safely storing it, will be necessary to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. See also this State of the Science Summary.
Utilities and Carbon Removal: A Gigaton Scale Opportunity - Carbon Business Council. First-of-its-kind report shows the integral connections between utilities and carbon removal.
Diving Deeper
Webinar Series - Scrubbing the Skies: The Role of Carbon Dioxide Removal in Combating Climate Change - The Institute for Carbon Responsible Removal. This webinar series focuses on scientific, technological, legal, political, and justice-focused issues associated with carbon dioxide removal. This series is hosted by Co-Director Wil Burns.
Carbon Dioxide Removal Bibliography - The Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal. A searchable database of over 12,150 peer-reviewed and gray literature citations on carbon removal, law, policy, and related topics, updated daily. The database can be accessed with the following sign-in credentials. PLEASE DO NOT ALTER ANY OF THE CITATIONS OR ADD CITATIONS ON YOUR OWN. If you see any mistakes, or wish to suggest additional citations, please contact Wil Burns: wburns@american.edu. Username: william.burns@northwestern.edu; Password: Minkeguy1!
OpenAir’s CO2municator Library - An open presentation library for CDR advocates and educators.
AirMiners - A 5-week group learning crash course for people who are new to carbon removal.
