Researchers are calling for a new generation of carefully designed ocean iron fertilization (OIF) trials to explore whether adding iron to low-iron ocean regions can safely boost phytoplankton growth and draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with collaborators from the University of Hawaiʻi, the team highlights the need for larger, longer-term studies, spanning months and thousands of square kilometers, with rigorous monitoring and clear safeguards. Past experiments showed small phytoplankton blooms can absorb CO2, but their long-term efficacy and ecological impacts remain uncertain.

The researchers suggest the Gulf of Alaska as a promising location for such trials, where decades of ocean monitoring and natural iron-driven blooms could guide safe and effective study. These next-generation experiments aim to assess whether OIF could become a viable tool for climate adaptation while protecting marine ecosystems.

Full article available here