Researchers are warning that scientists, funders, and policymakers must act in concert to ensure responsible decision making and deployment of novel ocean-based climate interventions.
The rapid emergence of these techniques, including genetic modification of corals, ocean alkalinity enhancement and large-scale seaweed farming, has outstripped the capacity of governments and communities to respond with appropriate policy, ethical frameworks, and public deliberation.
Professor Tiffany Morrison (James Cook University, University of Melbourne) led new research published in Science (link goes live tomorrow) which highlights that, while these techniques offer significant opportunities to address climate change, they also present complex risks and ethical dilemmas that remain largely unaddressed.
"Novel ocean-based climate actions are on the rise, but governments and communities are fundamentally underprepared for what this entails," Prof Morrison said.
"There's a whole raft of new interventions and technologies, but because they are new, there's limited background knowledge or understanding of the dangers that they could pose.
"There's a lot of optimism behind these interventions, but to make sure the opportunities are maximised and the risks are minimised, scientists, funders, and policymakers must update existing decision-making frameworks.
"Without coordinated science and policy, we risk maladaptation—solving one crisis while creating another."
The study calls for scientists to undertake more comparative research and ensure transparency in reporting all results, while funders are called upon to require open disclosure as a condition of support.
Policymakers, meanwhile, must update legal and policy frameworks to reflect the realities of these emerging technologies and to guarantee that local and Indigenous communities are meaningfully involved and benefit equitably.
"It's not just research ethics; it's broader ethical deliberation that communities and policymakers need to engage in before these interventions are deployed at scale," co-author Associate Professor Emily Ogier (University of Tasmania) said.
"Currently, the legal and policy frameworks are not fit-for-purpose or servicing our future needs."
"The opportunities to bring people together to share lessons from interventions across places and scales is huge. If we could do this in Australia, we could improve our reputation in environmental management globally and lead the way."
This research was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the US Society for Nature and People Partnership and collaborators included the University of Melbourne, the University of Tasmania, the Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Studies, the University of Michigan, the University of Exeter, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.
