Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) addresses climate change by reducing planet-warming carbon emissions. Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) can enhance the ocean’s role in drawing down atmospheric carbon dioxide through natural and technological strategies.
The Removing and Sequestering Carbon Unleashed in the Environment and Oceans Act (ReSCUE Oceans Act) would help establish the United States as a leader in the emerging mCDR field by investing in research, creating environmental and community safeguards, and strengthening coordination between relevant federal agencies.
“The climate crisis is here, and we must use every possible tool to limit global warming and climate destruction,” said Congresswoman Bonamici. “Marine carbon dioxide removal is a promising strategy that leverages the ocean’s role as a natural carbon sink to sequester emissions from the atmosphere, but mCDR research and development in the US has been hampered by a lack of consistent federal funding and guidance. We need more research about mCDR as a climate solution, and this bill would provide a roadmap to understand how to safely deploy it. I’m pleased to join my bipartisan colleagues in leading this legislation to spur innovation and growth in mCDR.”
“Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is an essential tool in the fight against the climate crisis, in addition to being a driver of American innovation,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will encourage research into marine CDR to ensure it’s safe, effective, benefits coastal communities, and protects ecosystems.”
“Scientists have made it clear—we need to explore every innovative tool available to address the climate crisis, and that includes marine carbon dioxide removal,” said Congressman Tonko. “As we experience record-breaking heat, wildfires, and extreme weather driven by climate change, reducing atmospheric carbon has never been more urgent. I’m pleased to join Congresswoman Bonamici, Congresswoman González-Colón, and Senator Schatz in introducing the ReSCUE Oceans Act, which empowers us to invest in critical research to determine whether marine CDR can be a viable component of our climate strategy. By advancing this science, we can better understand the potential benefits and risks of marine CDR and ensure the US leads the way in responsible, innovative carbon removal solutions. We must act now to fully confront the climate crisis.”
“The ocean stores more carbon than any other part of the biosphere. Marine-based carbon dioxide removal, or mCDR, has the potential to further enhance that capacity and help us reduce emissions,” said Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colón. “To improve our understanding of mCDR technologies and solutions, I’m pleased to join my fellow House Oceans Caucus Co-Chair Congresswoman Bonamici, Congressman Tonko, and Senator Schatz in introducing the ReSCUE Oceans Act to coordinate federal activities on this topic and support the necessary research and development efforts.”
The bill aligns with important components of the National Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research Strategy report recently released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Specifically, the ReSCUE Ocean Act would:
- Direct federal resources to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other agencies to study the efficacy and safety of various mCDR technologies, including ecological and socioeconomic effects.
- Provide a framework for establishing national mCDR research areas to create clarity and opportunities for researchers and communities.
- Establish guardrails for mCDR research through robust monitoring goals, verification standards, and a code of conduct to collect critical environmental data and inform development, regulation, and scientific evaluation of mCDR approaches.
- Create an interagency working group co-chaired by NOAA and the U.S. Department of Energy to strengthen coordination on mCDR activities at federal agencies, including NOAA, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
This legislation is endorsed by LTC Action, Carbon Removal Alliance, World Resources Institute, Carbon180, Carbon to Sea, Ocean Visions, and Ocean Conservancy. Statements of support can be found here.
A summary of the bill can be found here, and a one-pager for the bill can be found here.
