Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass

Thierry Chopin; Barry A. Costa-Pierce; Max Troell; Catriona L. Hurd; Mark John Costello; Steven Backman; Alejandro H. Buschmann; Russell Cuhel; Carlos M. Duarte; Fredrik Gröndahl; Kevin Heasman; Ricardo J. Haroun; Johan Johansen; Alexander Jueterbock; Mitchell Lench; Scott Lindell; Henrik Pavia; Aurora M. Ricart; Kristina S. Sundell; Charles Yarish

doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013

Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass

Thierry Chopin^*, Barry A. Costa-Pierce, Max Troell, Catriona L. Hurd, Mark John Costello, Steven Backman, Alejandro H. Buschmann, Russell Cuhel, Carlos M. Duarte, Fredrik Gröndahl, Kevin Heasman, Ricardo J. Haroun, Johan Johansen, Alexander Jueterbock, Mitchell Lench, Scott Lindell, Henrik Pavia, Aurora M. Ricart, Kristina S. Sundell, Charles Yarish

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Deep-ocean seaweed dumping is not an ecological, economical, or ethical answer to climate-change mitigation via carbon “sequestration.” Without sound science and sufficient knowledge on impacts to these fragile ecosystems, it distracts from more rational and effective blue-carbon interventions. We call for a moratorium on sinking seaweeds to deep-ocean ecosystems until its efficacy is established, and there is robust, evidence-based assessment of its environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	359-364
Number of pages	6
Journal	One Earth
Volume	7
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013
State	Published - Mar 15 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Environmental Science
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013

Cite this

Chopin, T., Costa-Pierce, B. A., Troell, M., Hurd, C. L., Costello, M. J., Backman, S., Buschmann, A. H., Cuhel, R., Duarte, C. M., Gröndahl, F., Heasman, K., Haroun, R. J., Johansen, J., Jueterbock, A., Lench, M., Lindell, S., Pavia, H., Ricart, A. M., Sundell, K. S., & Yarish, C. (2024). Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass. One Earth, 7(3), 359-364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013

@article{bb753f57501841b1927f18a197f0805e,

title = "Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass",

abstract = "Deep-ocean seaweed dumping is not an ecological, economical, or ethical answer to climate-change mitigation via carbon “sequestration.” Without sound science and sufficient knowledge on impacts to these fragile ecosystems, it distracts from more rational and effective blue-carbon interventions. We call for a moratorium on sinking seaweeds to deep-ocean ecosystems until its efficacy is established, and there is robust, evidence-based assessment of its environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.",

author = "Thierry Chopin and Costa-Pierce, {Barry A.} and Max Troell and Hurd, {Catriona L.} and Costello, {Mark John} and Steven Backman and Buschmann, {Alejandro H.} and Russell Cuhel and Duarte, {Carlos M.} and Fredrik Gr{\"o}ndahl and Kevin Heasman and Haroun, {Ricardo J.} and Johan Johansen and Alexander Jueterbock and Mitchell Lench and Scott Lindell and Henrik Pavia and Ricart, {Aurora M.} and Sundell, {Kristina S.} and Charles Yarish",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "7",

pages = "359--364",

journal = "One Earth",

issn = "2590-3330",

publisher = "Cell Press",

number = "3",

}

Chopin, T, Costa-Pierce, BA, Troell, M, Hurd, CL, Costello, MJ, Backman, S, Buschmann, AH, Cuhel, R, Duarte, CM, Gröndahl, F, Heasman, K, Haroun, RJ, Johansen, J, Jueterbock, A, Lench, M, Lindell, S, Pavia, H, Ricart, AM, Sundell, KS & Yarish, C 2024, 'Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass', One Earth, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 359-364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013

TY - JOUR

T1 - Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration

T2 - Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass

AU - Chopin, Thierry

AU - Costa-Pierce, Barry A.

AU - Troell, Max

AU - Hurd, Catriona L.

AU - Costello, Mark John

AU - Backman, Steven

AU - Buschmann, Alejandro H.

AU - Cuhel, Russell

AU - Duarte, Carlos M.

AU - Gröndahl, Fredrik

AU - Heasman, Kevin

AU - Haroun, Ricardo J.

AU - Johansen, Johan

AU - Jueterbock, Alexander

AU - Lench, Mitchell

AU - Lindell, Scott

AU - Pavia, Henrik

AU - Ricart, Aurora M.

AU - Sundell, Kristina S.

AU - Yarish, Charles

PY - 2024/3/15

Y1 - 2024/3/15

N2 - Deep-ocean seaweed dumping is not an ecological, economical, or ethical answer to climate-change mitigation via carbon “sequestration.” Without sound science and sufficient knowledge on impacts to these fragile ecosystems, it distracts from more rational and effective blue-carbon interventions. We call for a moratorium on sinking seaweeds to deep-ocean ecosystems until its efficacy is established, and there is robust, evidence-based assessment of its environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.

AB - Deep-ocean seaweed dumping is not an ecological, economical, or ethical answer to climate-change mitigation via carbon “sequestration.” Without sound science and sufficient knowledge on impacts to these fragile ecosystems, it distracts from more rational and effective blue-carbon interventions. We call for a moratorium on sinking seaweeds to deep-ocean ecosystems until its efficacy is established, and there is robust, evidence-based assessment of its environmental, economic, and societal sustainability.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187566995&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013

DO - 10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.013

M3 - Comment/debate

AN - SCOPUS:85187566995

SN - 2590-3330

VL - 7

SP - 359

EP - 364

JO - One Earth

JF - One Earth

IS - 3

ER -

Deep-ocean seaweed dumping for carbon sequestration: Questionable, risky, and not the best use of valuable biomass

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this