Plankton & Prometheanism Carbon Sequestration and Ocean Policy. Tess Brandon, Joe Kubik & Andrew McCloskey

Transcription

1 Plankton & Prometheanism Carbon Sequestration and Ocean Policy Tess Brandon, Joe Kubik & Andrew McCloskey

2 Overview Carbon Sequestration Overview Ocean Fertilization Ocean Policy Fisheries UNCLOS The Ocean as a global resource

3 Carbon Sequestration Carbon dioxide Capture and storage (CCS) is a way of separating CO2 from industrial and energy processes and transporting it for longterm storage and isolation from the atmosphere. From IPCC Special Report on Carbon Sequestration Two possibilities exist - terrestrial/geological, and oceanic

4 Ocean Fertilization Iron-rich Dust Phytoplankton Carbon Sink Lots of uncertainty: ecosystem damage, nutrient redistribution, creation of anoxic zones, ocean acidity

5 Disconnect between Science and Government The Department of Energy has created an entire department called the Carbon Sequestration Core Program for research on carbon sequestration Have introduced ocean fertilization as a new and exciting technical fix for atmospheric carbon dioxide vs. NSF and scientific community want to study ocean fertilization for its inherent value to understanding the physical and ecological processes and paleoclimate in the ocean, not because of its potential as a solution to global warming.

6 Overview Carbon Sequestration Overview Ocean Fertilization Ocean Policy Fisheries UNCLOS The Ocean as a global resource

7 International Ocean Policy: The Early Years Mare Liberum The Freedom of the Seas Doctrine Open-pool resource Inexhaustible resources Colonial Legacy Three Mile Territorial Seas est. between France & England 1945 President Harry Truman claims jurisdiction over the US continental shelf and coastal fisheries Hugo Grotius

8 Fisheries and their Impact Setting the Stage for UNCLOS CONCEPTS Common Heritage of Mankind Hardin s Tragedy of the Commons: open access & overcapitaliza-tion Transition of fish (as a resource) from a nonrival to rival commodity EVENTS 3 Mile territorial zone becomes inadequate (Treaty of Washington) Cod War culmination of many factors

9 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea) The problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and must be considered as a whole - preamble of the Law of the Sea CONCEPTS Treats ocean governance and the ocean itself as a connected whole Places restrictions upon the Mare Liberum doctrine Emphasizes precaution DETAILS Divides the seas up in to 4 main jurisdictional zones Law_of_the_Sea The Primary Jurisdictions Most widely agreed on international law (ratified by 139 UN nations) United States has refused to rafity

10 Implications What does all this mean for ocean fertilization research? Ocean fertilization would most likely occur in international waters, where Mare Liberum still applies. Would fall under the North-East Pacific, or Pacific jurisdictional regions under UNEP s Regional Seas Programme Part XIII of UNCLOS promotes scientific research Exclusive Economic Zones in the Western Pacific However, Article 240, section (C): Shall not unjustifiably interfere with other legitimate uses.. What happens when (or if) ocean fertilization pasts the research phase?

11 Overview Carbon Sequestration Overview Ocean Fertilization Ocean Policy Fisheries UNCLOS The Ocean as a global resource

12 Global Resource Management: A New Paradigm Increasing Connectivity Natural Resource Management: Horizontal Connectivity Vertical Connectivity Economics and Politics: Globalization International Law

13 The Ocean as a Global Resource NMFS and Fisheries Management Ownership of the Ocean Ecosystems-based Management Deep-Ocean Carbon Sequestration S.O. as the great communicator Scientific Implications Equatorial Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean topex- Political Implications

14 Looking Ahead: The Future of Ocean Policy UNCLOS: first step in recognizing that the ocean is a complex, interrelated system Steps must still be taken in abandoning Hugo Grotius s Mare Liberum the idea that the worlds oceans are an open-pool resource This includes: 1. A restructuring of international waters U.S. Exclusive Economic Zones 2. Realization that interaction among stakeholders is necessary 3. Ratification of UNCLOS by the U.S.

15 Looking Ahead: Ocean Fertilization How It Might Look ISSUES UNCLOS does not address the issue of ocean fertilization, or any type of carbon sequestration involving the oceans International waters still function under the concept of Mare Liberum Would be treated like any other private enterprise Lack of regulation could lead to disastrous consequences CONCEPTS UN pre-approves appropriate areas Limited number of permits allotted Semi-private carbon mitigation banks based on a system of carbon credits Hybrid system between that proposed by the Kyoto Protocol and that of US wetland mitigation banks

16 Summary & Conclusions usinfo.state.gov "We all believe technology offers great promise to significantly reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions -- especially carbon capture, storage and sequestration technologies." President George W. Bush June 11, 2001 Connections Ocean fertilization as a Promethean solution to climate change Future ocean policy should approximate guidelines of sustainable development Open-pool resource Common-pool resource Realistic use: carbon credit market

17 Thank you! Questions?