Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Emissions Trading pp 195–207Cite as

The Potential of Ocean Iron Fertilization as an Option for Mitigating Climate Change

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Ocean iron fertilization is currently being discussed as one measure that could contribute to climate change mitigation by stimulating the growth of phytoplankton in certain parts of the ocean and enhancing oceanic CO2 uptake. Its implementation is greatly debated however and its mitigation potential has not yet been explored well. At present, it is still not possible to use carbon offsets generated through iron fertilization projects for complying with the Kyoto Protocol as trading these offsets is currently only possible on voluntary carbon markets. Company interests in such a commercial use of ocean iron fertilization do however already exist. Consequently, there is a need to explore the potential of ocean iron fertilization as a climate change mitigation option as well as regulatory issues connected with its implementation. This article combines these two aims by first examining the scientific background, quantitative potential, side effects and costs of ocean iron fertilization. In a second step, regulatory aspects such as its legal status and open access issues are reviewed. Moreover, the chapter analyses how the regulations for afforestation and reforestation activities within the framework of the Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) could be applied to ocean iron fertilization. The main findings of this chapter are that the quantitative potential of ocean iron fertilization is limited, that potential adverse side effects are severe, and that its costs are higher than it was initially hoped. Moreover, the legal status of ocean iron fertilization is currently not well defined, open access might cause inefficiencies, and the CDM regulations could not be easily applied to ocean iron fertilization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    A hundred years is the time horizon, which the Kyoto Protocol (UNFCCC 1997) adopted for the calculation of global warming potentials, so that this time horizon could be considered to be equivalent to permanent carbon sequestration.

  2. 2.

    The CDM within the Kyoto framework allows Annex 1 countries to carry out emission reduction or removal projects in Non-Annex 1 countries for compliance with their own emission reduction targets. For detailed information on the regulation of afforestation and reforestation activities within the CDM framework see UNFCCC (2005).

References

  • Barker T, Bashmakov I, Alharthi A, Amann M, Cifuentes L, Drexhage J, Duan M, Edenhofer O, Flannery B, Grubb M, Hoogwijk M, Ibitoye FI, Jepma CJ, Pizer WA, Yamaji K (2007) Mitigation from a cross-sectoral perspective. In: Metz B, Davidson OR, Bosch PR, Dave R, Meyer LA (eds), Climate Change 2007: Mitigation. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyd PW (2008) Implications of large-scale iron fertilization of the oceans. Introduction and synthesis. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:213–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd PW, Jickells T, Law CS et al (2007) Mesoscale iron enrichment experiments 1993–2005: synthesis and future directions. Science 315:612–617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buesseler KO, Doney SC, Karl DM et al (2008) Ocean iron fertilization – moving forward in a sea of uncertainty. Science 319:162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm SW (2000) Stirring times in the southern ocean. Nature 407:685–687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm SW, Falkowski PG, Cullen JJ (2001) Dis-crediting ocean fertilization. Science 294:309–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cullen JJ, Boyd PW (2008) Predicting and verifying the intended and unintended consequences of large-scale ocean iron fertilization. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:295–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Baar HJW et al (2005) Synthesis of iron fertilization experiments: from the iron age in the age of enlightenment. J Geophys Res 110:24, C09S16

    Google Scholar 

  • De Baar HJW, Gerringa LJA, Laan P et al (2008) Efficiency of carbon removal per added iron in ocean iron fertilization. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:269–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denman KL (2008) Climate change, ocean processes and ocean iron fertilization. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:219–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forster P, Ramaswamy V, Artaxo P, Berntsen T, Betts R, Fahey DW, Haywood J, Lean J, Lowe DC, Myhre G, Nganga J, Prinn R, Raga G, Schulz M, Van Dorland R (2007) Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing. In: Solomon S, Qin D, Manning M, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor M, Miller HL (eds), Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Freestone D, Rayfuse R (2008) Ocean iron fertilization and international law. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:227–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gnanadesikan A, Sarmiento JL, Slater RD (2003) Effects of patchy ocean fertilization on atmospheric carbon dioxide and biological production. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 17(2):17, 19/1-19/17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IMO (2008) Ocean fertilization operations should be allowed only for research, say parties to international treaties. Press Briefing 51 of 11 November 2008, London. www.imo.org

  • Leinen M (2008) Building relationships between scientists and business in ocean iron fertilization. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:251–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leinen M, Whaley D, Whilden K (2008) Are carbon offsets appropriate for ocean iron fertilization? response to science policy forum on January 11, 2008, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Markels M Jr, Barber RT (2001) Sequestration of carbon dioxide by ocean fertilization. In: Maroto-Valer MM, Song C, Soong Y (eds) Environmental challenges and greenhouse gas control for fossil fuel utilization in the 21st century. Kluwer, New York, pp 119–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin JH (1990) Glacial-interglacial CO2 change: the iron hypothesis. Paleoceanography 5(1):1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaelowa A, Tangen K, Hasselknippe H (2005) Issues and options for the post-2012 climate architecture. An overview. Int Environ Agreements 5:5–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell H (2008a) Fertilizing the ocean with iron. Oceanus Mag 46(1):4–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell H (2008b) Will ocean iron fertilization work? Oceanus Mag 46(1):10–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell H (2008c) What are the possible side effects? Oceanus Mag 46(1):14–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell H (2008d) Lessons from nature, models, and the past. Oceanus Mag 46(1):18–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Raven JA, Falkowski PG (1999) Oceanic sinks for atmospheric CO2. Plant Cell Environ 22:741–755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rehdanz K, Tol RSJ, Wetzel P (2005) Ocean carbon sinks and international climate policy. Energ Policy 34(2006):3516–3526

    Google Scholar 

  • UNFCCC (1997) Report of the conference of the parties on its third session, FCCC/CP/1997/7/Add.1, Kyoto, 1–11 December 1997

    Google Scholar 

  • UNFCCC (2005) Report of the conference of the parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto protocol on its first session, decisions 1-8/CMP.1, FCCC/KP/CMP/2005/8/Add.1. Montreal, 28 November to 10 December 2005

    Google Scholar 

  • UNFCCC (2008) National greenhouse gas inventory data for the period 1990–2006, FCCC/SBI/2008/12, 17 November 2008

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson AJ, Boyd PW, Turner SM et al (2008) Designing the next generation of ocean iron fertilization experiments. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 364:303–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Updated and slightly revised from Energy Policy, 38 (2): 1130–1139. I thank Katrin Rehdanz for helpful comments and discussion. The DFG through the Excellence Initiative “The Future Ocean” provided welcome financial support. All errors and opinions are mine.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Duesternbrooker Weg 120, 24105, Kiel, Germany

    Christine Bertram

Authors
  1. Christine Bertram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Bertram .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. LS Betriebliches Umweltmanagement, Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Große Steinstr. 73, Halle, 06099, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany

    Ralf Antes

  2. Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Urban and, Helmholtz Centre for, Permoserstr. 15, Leipzig, 04318, Germany

    Bernd Hansjürgens

  3. FB 05 Wirtschaftswissenschaften, LS für Wertschöpfungsmanagement insb., Universität Siegen, Hölderlinstr. 3, Siegen, 57076, Germany

    Peter Letmathe

  4. Fakultät für Informatik, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39, Neubiberg, 85577, Germany

    Stefan Pickl

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bertram, C. (2011). The Potential of Ocean Iron Fertilization as an Option for Mitigating Climate Change. In: Antes, R., Hansjürgens, B., Letmathe, P., Pickl, S. (eds) Emissions Trading. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20592-7_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20592-7_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-20591-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-20592-7

  • eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation