Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) is gaining attention as a necessary complement to emissions cuts, especially after crossing the 1.5C warming threshold. This opinion piece from the Mail and Guardian explains why land-based carbon removal alone cannot deliver the gigatonne scale needed and looks at ocean alkalinity enhancement as a promising but complex option. The article breaks down five key questions for mCDR: efficiency, effectiveness, durability, scalability, and ecosystem impacts. It also highlights South Africa's unique position at the meeting point of three ocean systems and the governance challenges that come with monitoring carbon removal in marine environments.
