Paths Forward for Exploring Ocean Iron Fertilization – New ExOIS report released

Dear GEOTRACES community,

We would like to call your attention about the release of the report “Paths Forward for Exploring Ocean Iron Fertilization” recently released by the Exploring Ocean Iron Solutions consortium (ExOIS, https://oceaniron.org/).

The announcement of the release of the report that includes further information about the ExOIS consortium is available below. Should you have any question about it, please contact Paul J Morris (ExOIS Project Manager at pmorris@whoi.edu).

Announcement release of a new report from ExOIS called “Paths Forward for Exploring Ocean Iron Fertilization”:

We are pleased to share with you a new report that ExOIS (Exploring Ocean Iron Solutions) has released called “Paths Forward for Exploring Ocean Iron Fertilization”.  You will find it under the “our plan” tab at the OceanIron.org web site where you can download a pdf copy and/or read on-line as a flip-book.  A two page Executive Summary of that report is also available and can be downloaded from here.

The fundamental purpose of ExOIS is to explore the consequences of ocean iron fertilization, positive and negative, so that society can decide whether to implement the strategy, and how it compares to other marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) options and our current path of climate driven losses and human suffering. This undertaking is unlike any other mCDR planning we are aware of.

As you may know, last year we released our first white paper, with the scientific motivation and general plans for ExOIS.  This report does much more, laying out a vision with a more detailed set of five priority activities, timelines and costs that would take place over the coming decade.  These include the next generation of field studies, modeling, efforts to optimize iron’s effectiveness for CDR, and improvements in our ability to assess not just carbon, but ecological and environmental impacts.  Attention to social dimensions, governance considerations, and public perceptions are part of this plan from the beginning.

Now is the time for actionable studies to begin.

Regards, Ken Buesseler on behalf of ExOIS.