ocean fertilisation: science & policy...

OCEAN FERTILISATION:SCIENCE & POLICY ISSUESANDREW BOWIEPHILIP BOYD JULIA JABOUR DELPHINE LANNUZELTOM TRULL

Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre

Climate Science for Australia’s Future

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Ocean Fertilisation: Position Analysis (draft)

Scientific background

Goals and principles

Artificial iron fertilisation research

Natural ocean fertilisation research

Questions and uncertainties

Legal and policy issues



Release of PA consultative draft at Research Users Forum

Feedback to David Reilly prior to final version, end of 2015

Why the need to revisit ocean fertilisation now?

How can we make this information most useful for end-users?

Is there a need for broader or more frequent information?

CONSULTATION PROCESS



Royal Society (2009)

IOC/UNESCO (2010) IPCC (2012)

CBD (2009)ACE CRC (2008)

National Research Council (2015)



RECENT HISTORY OF ATMOSPHERIC CO2

P4



(Petit et al., 1999, Nature)

CARBON

TEMPERATURE

DUST

EARTH’S HISTORY: THE IRON-CLIMATE CONNECTION



Fe

N, Pcatalytic

structural SOIREE phytoplankton bloom

ESSENTIALS OF PHYTOPLANKTON NUTRITION



THE OCEAN’S BIOLOGICAL PUMP

P5



IRONEX I&II1994, 1996

SOIREE1999

SOFeX2002

EISENEX, EIFEX

2001,2004

SEEDS 2001

SERIES 2002

SAGE2004

CROZEX, KEOPS 2005

Lohafex2009

GLOBAL NUTRIENT DISTRIBUTION

P26



THE MARINE BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE OF IRON



MULTIPLE SOURCES OF ‘NEW’ IRON



QUESTIONS?



OCEAN FERTILISATION STUDIES

P6



SOUTHERN OCEAN PHYTOPLANKTON BLOOMS

P28



OCEAN COLOUR IMAGE OF ‘KEOPS’ BLOOM

P29


Climate Science for Australia’s Futurep14

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES

THE HOPE

Plankton populations

rebound to historic levels,

reviving fisheries and

sequestering vast amounts of

carbon.

THE FEAR

Iron leads to depletion of

deep-water oxygen, alters

food chain, and promotes

toxic species; CO2 soon

resurfaces



QUESTIONS?



“It needs to be made clear that no one really wants to do this,” ... “Some of the [geoengineering] options are potentially dangerous, but we need to be prepared to

act if we have to and we need to be assured that others will not act imprudently or

in regional interest alone.” Graham Pearman 2011

P7



Date Multilateral Legal Instruments Coverage

1972/1996

International Convention on the

Prevention of Marine Pollution by

Dumping of Wastes and Other

Matter 1972, as amended by the

Protocol of 1996 (London

Convention, usually referred to as

LC/LP but here, LP)

*Dumping of *wastes and other

matter that causes hazard, harm,

damage and/or interference with

the marine environment

prohibited (*defined). Specific

regulation of these issues (flag

state responsibility of IMO Parties)

1992Convention on Biological

Diversity (CBD) 1992

*preservation of marine biological

diversity inside and outside areas

of national jurisdiction

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGIMES

P20



Environment

Protection &

Biodiversity

Conservation

Act (1999)

Environment

Protection

(Sea Dumping)

Act

(1981)

AUSTRALIAN LEGISLATION

P25



Voyage reported to contravene the 2008 UN CBD de facto moratorium

Which permits fertilization to small-scale, scientific research studies within coastal

waters.

The LC/LP, a legal body within the framework of the international Law of the Sea,

which regulates dumping and marine pollution, does not refer to the terms ‘small-scale’ and ‘coastal waters’ in its October 2008 resolution on ocean fertilization.

Instead, it distinguishes between “legitimate scientific research”, which is permitted,

and “other activities”.

“As a result of both the chronology and the fact that the international Law of the Sea

takes legal priority over the UN convention on biodiversity, this emphasis on

legitimate science seems more relevant.”

The 2009 Lohafex Case



PA page 7

http://www.theguardian.com/uk

http://www.theguardian.com/uk



The six criteria for the identification of

research activities are as follows:

Addition to scientific knowledge, based

on best available scientific knowledge

and technology

Appropriate scientific methodology

Subject to peer review

No economic interest involved

Commitment to publish scientific results

Available financial resources.

AMENDMENTS TO THE LONDON CONVENTION (2013)

In the case of ocean fertilisation there is a need to clearly distinguish research

projects from other activities because only permits for legitimate scientific

research may be issued by a Contracting Party.



Nature 2012



Nature Editorial Dec 2014



ONC is developing its unique patented Ocean

Nourishment technology designed to catalyse the

recovery of ocean ecosystems and capture

sustainable economic returns from enhanced

carbon export to the deep ocean (biosequestration)

and increases in marine productivity

http://www.oceannourishment.com/





New Working Group on Marine

Geoengineering EstablishedGESAMP agreed to establish Working

Group 41 on marine geoengineering under

the lead of IMO and supported by IOC of

UNESCO and WMO, under the co-

chairmanship of Dr. Chris Vivian and another

expert (to be confirmed).



“However, if society ultimately decides to

intervene in Earth’s climate, the Committee most strongly recommends any such

actions be informed by a far more

substantive body of scientific research—encompassing climate science and

economic, political, ethical, and other

dimensions—than is available at present.”

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION

Delphine JuliaPhilipAndrewTom

ocean fertilisation: science & policy...

Documents