Yet another study questions shows how dangerously simplistic the assumption that dumping iron filements into oceans will sequester carbon is. This latest study, by Ellery D. Ingall et al, published in Nature Communications, looks at a particular type of...
Carbon Dioxide Removal / Greenhouse Gas Removal
Tree plantations and bioenergy with carbon capture: far from “safe” geoengineering
Amongst geoengineering methods, ‘afforestation’, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and biochar are commonly promoted as ‘safe’, benign’ or ‘soft’ options – unlike, say, shooting sulphur particles into the stratosphere. According to a 2011 report by...
Don’t Dump Iron — Dump Rogue Climate Schemes
The press release had a pretty stark headline: “Haida Announce Termination of Russ George.” If the name sounds familiar its because he is the Californian businessman who last year led the world’s largest, and unapproved, geoengineering (climate manipulation) scheme to dump over 100 tonnes of iron into the Pacific ocean west of Haida Gwaii in British Columbia…
B.C. village’s ocean fertilization experiment probed
Environment Canada investigating after iron-rich dust dumped off coast Fifth Estate (CBC) Environment Canada's enforcement branch has executed search warrants in British Columbia as part of an investigation into a controversial iron-fertilization experiment that took...
Geoengineering Is a Dangerous Solution to Climate Change
by Rachel Smolker As the realities of global climate change become ever more alarming, advocates of technological approaches to "geoengineer" the planet's climate are gaining a following. But the technologies that are promoted -- from spraying sulphate particles into...
Greatest risk of ocean experiment is that it will spawn more
by Dene Moore (Postmedia News) VANCOUVER - A small British Columbia First Nation making waves around the world with a controversial experiment in the Pacific Ocean is on the front lines of climate change, even critics admit. And as the fears of global warming grow,...
Iron Ocean Dump Greatest Risk Is Haida Salmon Boom: Critic
by Dene Moore (Canadian Press) VANCOUVER - A small British Columbia First Nation making waves around the world with a controversial experiment in the Pacific Ocean is on the front lines of climate change, even critics admit. And as the fears of global warming grow,...
A Brief Primer on Ocean Fertilization in the CBD and the London Convention and Protocol
by Duncan E.J. Currie LL.B. (Hons) LL.M. This briefing outlines the principal decisions and resolutions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and London Convention/Protocol relating to ocean fertilization in the context of the Haida Salmon Restoration...
Haida company facing controversy over Pacific Ocean iron dust dump says it’s “creating life”
Jorge Barrera (APTN National News) The head of a Haida-owned company at the centre of an environmental controversy after its fishing boat dumped 100 tonnes of iron sulphite to seed the Pacific Ocean says the experiment is not a potential ecological disaster, but one...
Canadian government ‘knew of plans to dump iron into the Pacific’
by Martin Lukacs (Guardian) As controversy mounts over the Guardian's revelations that an American businessman conducted a massive ocean fertilisation test, dumping around 100 tonnes of iron sulphate off Canada's coast, it has emerged the Canadian government may have...
100 tonnes of iron sulphate dumped off Canada’s Pacific coast
(Torstar News Service) The Pacific Ocean, just off Canada’s west coast, has a new suspect ingredient: 100 tonnes of iron sulphate. An American entrepreneur with a controversial past in geoengineering dumped the iron dust into the Pacific near the Haida Gwaii islands...
Environmental controversy erupts on Canada’s Pacific coast
Satellite images show a massive artificial plankton bloom off the Haida Gwaii islands after 100 tonnes of iron sulphate was dumped there. by Raveena Aulakh (Toronto Star) The Pacific Ocean, just off Canada’s west coast, has a new suspect ingredient: 100 tonnes of iron...
Geo-engineering: green versus greed in the race to cool the planet
by John Vidal The alert on the Climate Ark website in January 2009 was marked urgent: "Take action: A rogue science ship is poised to carry out risky experimental fertilisation of the Southern Ocean. This is likely [to be] the first of many coming attempts to begin...
Tar sands with biochar? The growing links between biochar advocates and the Canadian tar sands industry
"Biochar could offset Canada's tar sands programme for 14.5 years." — Lloyd Helferty, Advisory Committee Member of the International Biochar Initiative (video) Background: What is biochar? Biochar – a PR term for charcoal added to soils - is being promoted as the...
Ocean fertilization experiment suspended
German science ministry demands environmental assessment before nutrient dumping can begin. by Quirin Schiermeier (Nature) The German science ministry has suspended a planned Indo–German ocean fertilization experiment in the Southern Ocean, and asked the German...
Ocean fertilization experiment draws fire
Indo-German research cruise sets sail despite criticism. by Quirin Schiermeier (Nature) A German research ship laden with 20 tonnes of iron sulphate has whipped up a storm of protest as it sails towards the Antarctic, where it intends to dump its cargo into the ocean....
Convention discourages ocean fertilization
International treaty aims to put rules on geoengineering. by Quirin Schiermeier (Nature) The parties to the London Convention, an international treaty that governs ocean pollution, have agreed that large-scale ocean ‘fertilization’ isn't yet justified, given gaps in...
WWF opposes dumping of urea in Sulu Sea
by Jerome Aning (Inquirer) MANILA, Philippines -- The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) added its voice Saturday to the growing number of environmental groups opposing the dumping of urea in Sulu Sea. “The potential environmental impact of dumping 500 tons of urea...
Civil Society Petition: Withhold Endorsement of the Ocean Nourishment Project in Sulu Sea, Philippines
by International Tawi-Tawi Organization We, civil society organizations working on various development issues across the Philippines, recently learned about the Ocean Nourishment Project being promoted by the Australian for-profit entity Ocean Nourishment Corporation...
London Convention: Climate campaigners oppose meddling with the oceans
Indymedia UK On Monday 5th November climate change campaigners from Camp for Climate Action, Rising Tide and BioFuel Watch took action against geo-engineering (deliberate modification of Earth's environment on a large scale) companies who are hoping to make a great...
Planktos is a No Show in the Galapagos
by Sea Shepherd The Planktos ship and its cargo of 100 tons of iron ore dust was scheduled to begin deployment of its controversial cargo the first week of August. It was for this reason that Sea Shepherd Conservation Society decided to keep our ship the Farley Mowat...
Plan to Dump Iron in Ocean as Climate Fix Attracts Debate
by Kelly Hearn (National Geographic News) Global warming is heating up opportunities for companies that can find ways to pull carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere and sell "carbon credits" on emerging markets. But one company's attempt to dip its toes into...
Iron to Plankton To Carbon Credits
Firm's Emission Plans Have Critics Aplenty by Steven Mufson (Washington Post) A small California company is planning to mix up to 80 tons of iron particles into the Pacific Ocean 350 miles west of the Galapagos islands to see whether it can make a splash in the...
ECUADOR: Doubts Surround Carbon Absorption Project Near Galapagos
by Stephen Leahy (IPS News) PUERTO AYORA, Galápagos, Ecuador, Jul 13 2007 (IPS) - Later this month a U.S. company, Planktos Inc., plans to dump 100 tonnes of iron dust into the ocean near Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands, despite opposition from environmental groups and...