Month: January 2025

Peer-reviewed Publications

Oberlander et al. (2025): Assessing the impacts of simulated ocean alkalinity enhancement on viability and growth of nearshore species of phytoplankton

Jessica L. Oberlander, Mackenzie E. Burke, Cat A. London, Hugh L. MacIntyre IN: Biogeoschiences 22, 499-512, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-499-2025

One proposed NET is ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), in which artificially raising the alkalinity favours formation of bicarbonate from CO2, leading to a decrease in the partial pressure of CO2 in the water. Subsequent invasion of atmospheric CO2 results in net sequestration of atmospheric carbon. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of simulated OAE, through the alteration of pH, on phytoplankton representative of the spring and fall blooms in nearshore, temperate waters.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Nair et al. (2024): Engineering microbiomes to enhance macroalgal health, biomass yield, and carbon sequestration

Shailesh Nair, Zenghu Zhang, Xiaojie Wang, Bo Zhang, Nianzhi Jiao, Yongyu Zhang IN: Green Carbon, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.greenca.2024.11.001

Macroalgae farming not only holds significant economic value but also contributes substantially to carbon sequestration, and therefore has gained intensified attention globally under climate change scenarios. However, its sustainability is increasingly threatened by anthropogenic and environmental changes. The health and resilience of macroalgae are intrinsically linked to their associated microbiomes, offering an untapped opportunity to enhance macroalgal farming through microbiome manipulation. In this review, the authors have summarized the current understanding of macroalgal microbiomes, highlighting critically underexplored microbial components, such as overlooked taxa, host specificity, and the environmental factors influencing microbiome composition, which hinder the development of effective microbiome engineering strategies. 

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Li et al. (2025): Optimizing biochar for carbon sequestration: a synergistic approach using machine learning and natural language processing

Jiayi Li, Yixuan Chen, Chaojie Wang, Hanbo Chen, Yurong Gao, Jun Meng, Zhongyuan Han, Lukas Van Zwieten, Yi He, Caibin Li, Gerard Cornelissen, Hailong Wang IN: Biochar 7, 20, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00424-0

Biochar is a promising technology for carbon storage and greenhouse gas reduction, but optimizing it is challenging due to the complexity of natural systems. Machine learning and natural language processing offer solutions through enhanced data analysis and pattern recognition, ushering in a new era of biochar research.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Hughes et al. (2025): Seaweed Aquaculture for Carbon Farming: An Assessment Under the EU ‘s QU .A.L. ITY (Quantification, Additionality, Long‐Term Storage, Sustainability) Framework

Adam D. Hughes, Jeffery Fendenko, Alasdair O’Dell, Hayley Swanlund IN: Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csr.3098

There is growing interest in establishing a seaweed farming industry in Europe, and this industry has the potential for being a mechanism for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal (CDR). The EU recognises the potential of CDR to help meet climate change targets, but also acknowledges the importance of creating credible markets for CDR ecosystem services (ES) through voluntary carbon markets to promote sustainable investment and to avoid claims of greenwashing. In response to this, the EU has proposed a framework (termed QU.A.L.ITY) for the establishment of CDR certification schemes, based on the four criteria of quantifiable, additionality, long‐term storage and overall sustainability.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Ryan et al. (2025): Design considerations for the marinisation of offshore direct air capture

Ryan Foxall, Haris, Ishaq, Curran Crawford IN: Energy, 316, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2024.133864

To date, only land based direct air capture (DAC) installations have been considered, but with growing competition for land and resources, offshore locations are beginning to be contemplated. Offshore locations offer close proximity to vast renewable energy potential, and robust CO2 storage locations, but come with a large degree of uncertainty on performance and cost. The current study explores considerations for offshore operation, and reviews parallel technologies that have undergone similar transitions to use in offshore environments.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Deknatel & van der Loos (2025): The intangible technological innovation system: The role and influence of voluntary and compliance carbon markets on carbon dioxide removal in the European Union

Nick Deknatel, Adriaan van der Loos IN: Energy Research & Social Science, 119, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2024.103851

Due to the intangible nature of negative carbon, market formation is challenging. This research analyzes the CDR technological innovation system in the European Union to unravel how market formation for such products can occur. The research focuses on voluntary (soft) and compliance (hard) carbon market institutions to understand their impact on the development of intangible products. Interviews were conducted with 26 CDR experts, complemented by a separate survey.

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Nature – Gui et al. (2025): Biochar-amended soil can further sorb atmospheric CO2 for more carbon sequestration

Xiangyang Gui, Xiaoyun Xu, Zehong Zhang, Liyang Hu, Wenfeng Huang, Ling Zhao, Xinde Cao IN: Communications Earth & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01985-5

This work is aimed to explore if the extra sorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) exists in the biochar-amended soil, which has not yet received attention. Here the authors put biochar and mineral-rich biochar into soils to perform laboratory CO2 sorption experiments.

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Events

Applications open: Training Course on Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement — Assessing the Impacts on Marine Organisms

7 -11 April 2025, at IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco

Deadline for receipt of application from the nominating national authority: 21 February 2025. The course is organized by the IAEA OA-ICC in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation through the OACIS Initiative (Ocean Acidification and other ocean Changes – Impacts and Solutions). The Training Course on Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement — Assessing the Impacts on Marine Organisms is part of the capacity building program of the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC). The program aims to support IAEA Member States to minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification (Sustainable Development Goal 14.3) and related stressors.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Ayaz et al. (2025): Biochar and carbon-negative technologies: exploring opportunities for climate change mitigation

Muhammad Ayaz, Sidra Tul Muntaha, Edita Baltrėnaitė-Gedienė, Zita Kriaučiūnienė IN: Biochar, 7, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00421-3

The study highlights the critical mechanistic data supporting the ecological restoration advantages of biochar (BC) and its role in sustainable environmental management. Recognizing the substantial influence of specific feedstock sources and pyrolysis parameters on BC efficacy, this research aims to address these gaps through an extensive investigation into the potential benefits of BC application in ecological restoration. The methodology involves a systematic exploration of effects of BC from latest literature on various aspects of agricultural sustainability, including its ability to support crop growth, improve nutrient bioavailability, facilitate co-composting, enhance consumption efficiency, and contribute to water quality restoration.

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Peer-reviewed Publications

Ringsby & Maher (2025): Do oversimplified durability metrics undervalue biochar carbon dioxide removal?

Alexandra Jo Ringsby and Kate Maher IN: Environmental Research Letters, 2025, DOI 10.1088/1748-9326/adac7b

Quantifying CDR for biochar projects hinges critically on the durability of biochar materials once amended in soil. However, consensus on the definition of durability is still evolving, and as a result, standards developing organizations have generated a variety of different methodologies to assess the removal value of biochar projects. These methodologies primarily rely on single-parameter regression models to link the molar H/C ratio—an easily measurable bulk chemical metric—to the modeled durability of biochar materials. Specific deployment variables are not commonly considered. Thus, although H/C-based methodologies simplify project development and CDR assessment, questions remain as to how well they predict real project outcomes.

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