Iron Fertilization Dead in the Water?
Controversial Geoengineering Proposal Banned in US Climate Change
Legislation MIAMI, FL (May 27, 2010) -- Climate change
legislation released by Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman earlier
this month delivered a major blow to ocean fertilization, a
controversial geoengineering proposal. Language in the American Power
Act essentially bans iron and urea fertilization, the dumping of iron
ferrites or urea to stimulate blooms of carbon-capturing plankton as a
means to mitigate climate change. Ocean
fertilization has been considered by some entrepreneurs and scientists
as a quick and easy fix for climate change. In theory blooms of
‘fertilized’ algae would store atmospheric carbon, which then sink to
depth. Other scientists have argued that the concept offers a too
simplistic of view of ocean dynamics and lacks scientific merit.
International ocean studies examining the fertilization effects of iron
have produced results that fall far short of expectations. Environmentalists
have raised concern over potential impacts, including the triggering of
toxic algal blooms which could kill fish and create oceanic dead zones,
increased ocean acidification, poisoning of marine mammals, and release
of greenhouse gasses. Blue
carbon supported - The Act
supports measures to enhance the ocean’s natural carbon function, a
concept that has been termed ‘blue carbon’ by the environmental
community. The restoration and conservation of certain coastal and
marine ecosystems, which capture and store atmospheric carbon, are
included in the Act’s list of eligible climate mitigation projects. Recent
reports produced by the United Nations Environment Programme and
International Union for Conservation of Nature found that, when healthy,
mangrove forests, saltwater marshlands and seagrass meadows are
extremely effective at storing atmospheric carbon, thereby mitigating
climate change. The reports are titled ‘Blue Carbon’
and ‘The
Management of Natural Coastal Carbon Sinks,’ respectfully.
“The Senators should be commended for their strong environmental and climate change leadership, and for demonstrating the precautionary principal with regard to potentially dangerous ocean fertilization,” said Steven Lutz, Executive Director of Blue Climate Solutions, a marine conservation organization that supports blue carbon policies. “Environmental impacts associated with ocean fertilization schemes could dwarf the current Gulf oil spill disaster." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Additional information: Please note that the American Power Act is a
discussion draft and awaits formal introduction in the Senate. |