Today marks the establishment of a new marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) coalition that brings together a roster of industry leaders who will work on advancing this promising decarbonization field in a responsible and high-integrity manner.
Co-chaired by the Carbon Business Council (CO2BC) and the World Ocean Council (WOC), the mCDR Coalition is a formal platform born out of meetings that have been taking place over the past two years, during which sector stakeholders engaged in valuable networking and knowledge-sharing.
Recognizing the important role mCDR can play in net-zero scenarios, this coalition aims to help facilitate its responsible and science-led development.
Commenting on behalf of Captura, one of the companies part of this coalition, CEO Steve Oldham shared, “The mCDR sector holds enormous promise to deliver large-scale, low-cost carbon removal, while also presenting unique scientific, communication, and policy challenges. The launch of this dedicated coalition is a great step toward giving mCDR the focused attention it deserves.”
He went on to add, “By bringing together nonprofits, civil society, and industry, it can help accelerate progress in a way that’s coordinated, credible, and responsible. Captura is proud to support this effort by the Carbon Business Council, as well as its broader mission to advance the entire carbon removal ecosystem.”
Uniting global representatives from businesses, nonprofits, and academia, the mCDR coalition brings together a powerful sector core that will work on supporting research, evidence-based policy engagement, and relationship-building between experts in science, conservation, and governance.
Currently, besides Captura, its list of active members also includes Banyu Carbon, Capture6, Equatic, Isometric, Limenet, Planetary, Puro.earth, SeaO2, Vesta, and Vycarb, and its initial observers are Carbon Removal Canada, Cascade Climate, C-Worthy, the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University, Ocean Visions, and Carbon180.
Jeanine Ash, Vice President of Carbon Storage at Capture6, stated, “The Carbon Business Council’s mCDR Coalition has been a fantastic resource for Capture6 over the last two years. The policy landscape is moving quickly, and being a member has kept us up to date on domestic and international issues. It’s been a fantastic forum to meet other Coalition members and work jointly on outreach to decision makers and other key stakeholders. I look forward to seeing the Coalition and its impact grow.”
The official coalition status of this community will enable expanded membership and a more active mCDR ecosystem presence, along with the prospect of other organizations joining the platform as the coalition grows.
With Toby Bryce, policy advisor to the Carbon Business Council, serving as chair, this platform will provide a space for discussions and collaborations centered around a variety of mCDR pathways.
SeaO2 Founder and CEO Ruben Brands shared, “The range of CDR approaches developed today is highly diverse and even within marine CDR, methods can differ greatly. Yet these varied approaches share unique challenges and opportunities. We’re glad the mCDR Coalition provides a platform to address them collectively, learning from and working alongside peers.”
Carbon Business Council’s Executive Director Ben Rubin commented, “Marine CDR approaches offer a critical opportunity to address the carbon already disrupting our climate and ocean ecosystems.”
“With this vertical coalition, we’re bringing together innovators, scientists, and policy leaders to ensure the field grows with environmental integrity, community engagement, and transparency at its core,” he added.
Relevant: Carbon Business Council Now Offering Pathway-Specific CDR Support
Noting that net-zero is now considered impossible without carbon removal, Jill Storey, Marine CDR Advisor to the World Ocean Council, stated, “Covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, the ocean offers the scale and potential needed to achieve climate goals. The mCDR Coalition is working to responsibly advance this emerging and vital maritime sector while raising its profile globally.”
The launch of the marine carbon removal coalition forms part of a broader initiative by the Carbon Business Council that was created to provide pathway-specific support to a wide range of carbon removal approaches.
Each vertical support pillar is meant to boost the collaboration within individual CDR pathways, contributing to a collective carbon removal sector advancement.
Diana Philip, VP Community Relations at Planetary Technologies commented “At Planetary, we applaud CO2BC’s launch of the mCDR Coalition, uniting innovators, scientists, policymakers, and civil society to advance marine carbon removal responsibly. Together, we can engage with communities, align on policy, and deliver the large-scale impact needed for a sustainable future.”
Read more: Ocean Visions Launches New mCDR Ecosystem Database To Streamline Sector Communication
