Some people say that to make an omelette you have to break eggs. But what happens when the “eggs” are the marine ecosystem and the “omelette” is the solution to climate change? A controversial ocean alkalization experiment is about to test this old adage, dividing the scientific community and challenging the limits of environmental ethics.
Ocean alkalization: when science flirts with ugly names
We are on board a boat off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, the island located in front of the Cape Cod peninsula, in the State of Massachusetts, USA. The sun is shining, the waves are gently crashing against the hull. Researchers are about to pour a substance into the ocean that will, for a brief moment, make the surrounding water more toxic than a troll on Facebook. Welcome to the world of ocean alkalization, my friends.
Il Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is about to conduct an experiment that has raised more than one doubt. The idea? Raise the pH of the ocean to allow it to absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The code name? LOC-NO. No, it is not a joke, no comment on the choice.
A giant effervescent tablet for the ocean
The plan is simple, on paper. Pour a solution of sodium hydroxide (yes, that stuff your grandmother used to unclog sinks) into the ocean. This should increase the pH of the water, making it more alkaline and therefore more likely to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
The immediate change in chemistry is what drives the uptake of carbon dioxide.
Daniel McCorkle, co-principal investigator of the experiment.
Sounds good, right? There's just one small, insignificant detail: for a short time, the treated area will become a lethal chemical bath for any sea creature unfortunate enough to find itself there.
“Trust me, we know what we're doing”
WHOI scientists assure that they have thought of everything. They'll use a red dye to track the diffusion of the solution (because nothing says "safe experiment" like a giant red blob in the ocean, right?). There will also be a marine mammal spotter on board, presumably to yell “WALE!” in case one of them decided to take a suicidal dive into the chemical bath.
We don't want there to be the prospect of a whale or anything like that coming into contact with that substance
McCorkle states this, demonstrating an extraordinary mastery of the obvious.
"You are crazy?"
As you can imagine, not everyone is thrilled with the idea of turning the ocean into a giant alkaline bathtub. Environmentalists are (legitimately) raising more red flags than Spain fans against oceanic alkalinisation.
“We don't know exactly what the risks are, because no one has been crazy enough to do it before,” he said Ben Day of the Friends of the Earth association, probably while rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
EPA: Reluctant referee in a dangerous game
In the midst of this scientific chaos we find the EPA, the US Environmental Protection Agency, which finds itself in the awkward position of having to decide whether to give the green light to this marine Dr. Frankenstein experiment.
If the EPA approves, it would be the first permit in the world for an “ocean alkalinity enhancement” project. A record that, perhaps, we shouldn't be too proud of. Because ocean alkalization raises a significant ethical dilemma. On the one hand, there is the desperate need to combat climate change. On the other, the risk of causing irreparable damage to marine ecosystems.
It's like trying to treat an infection with an antibiotic so powerful that it risks killing the patient. Yes, it might work, but at what cost?
Oceanic alkalization, the future between hope and fear
While the EPA ponders its decision, the scientific world is holding its breath. If the experiment is successful, it could pave the way for a new era of ocean geoengineering. If it fails… well, we might end up with a slightly more alkaline ocean and a lot of uncomfortable questions to answer.
Perhaps the real lesson here is that there are no magic solutions to complex problems like climate change. Or maybe it's that desperation can lead even the brightest minds to consider ideas that, under normal circumstances, they would seem crazy.
In any case, as scientists prepare to (maybe) pour their magic potion into the ocean, the rest of us can only watch and hope.
