A central idea in my research is that ocean liming only delivers meaningful carbon removal if the entire life cycle of Ca(OH)₂ production is deeply decarbonized. The analysis shows that even when dissolution efficiency is high, unavoidable calcination emissions and fossil‑based energy use can erode most of the theoretical CO₂ uptake. As stated in the research, calcination alone contributes “0.66 tCO₂” for every tonne removed, making net‑negative performance extremely fragile. In a lower‑efficiency scenario, ocean liming could become a net CO₂ emitter rather than removing CO₂ from the ocean.
A key challenge I am exploring is how improvements in calcination technology, energy sourcing, and dissolution efficiency could shift ocean liming from marginal gains to reliable CDR.
This topic matters because ocean alkalinity enhancement is gaining political and commercial momentum, yet without full life‑cycle scrutiny it risks becoming a net emitter rather than a climate solution. During the 4th International Conference on Carbon Dioxide Removal, I hope to discuss governance needs and research priorities to ensure ocean liming is deployed responsibly and transparently.