Conclusion

The goal of the system outlined in this protocol is to improve ocean health and reverse the degradation and collapse of ecosystems caused by the anthropogenic emission of CO₂ and the associated imbalance in the global carbon cycle.

The ocean is a global commons; it is made up of vast, intricate, and intertwined ecosystems, and is utilized and cared for by communities across the globe. No single entity has a claim to the ocean, and the decisions that impact it require buy-in and support from a diverse range of stakeholders, communities, and decision-makers.

But the health of the ocean is rapidly deteriorating as it continues to buffer humanity from the worst impacts of climate change. It has been subject to warming, acidification, and deoxygenation at a global scale, threatening coastal communities, food security, and biodiversity, and putting the natural processes that regulate our climate systems at extreme risk of collapse. Because of the urgency of the problem, it is essential that we — humanity — urgently adopt a bias towards action, in line with the application of the precautionary principle enacted against a baseline of rapidly deteriorating ocean health and a worsening climate crisis. This moral and ethical responsibility to act includes a rigorous and transparent determination of the efficacy of ocean-based carbon removal and all potentially scalable carbon removal solutions.

Running Tide looks forward to continuing to collaborate with academic, industry, and government leaders, ocean and climate researchers, and all other stakeholders to improve and iterate on this carbon removal system. We welcome, encourage, and value all feedback on this quantification approach.