Current commitments made under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change are insufficient to keep global warming under 1.5°C, and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), much greater ambition is necessary.

In response to the risks posed by climate change, some are considering the viability of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) and large-scale Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) techniques. SRM would aim to reflect more solar radiation back into space or allow more heat to escape Earth’s atmosphere, whilst CDR would aim to reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. With more than two thirds of Earth covered by water, numerous potential CDR/SRM techniques might be considered for deployment in the marine environment in the future.