Scientists are exploring ocean alkalinity enhancement as a way to speed up the ocean's natural carbon absorption. The method involves adding alkaline materials like crushed silicate rocks or sodium hydroxide to seawater to increase its ability to convert dissolved CO2 into stable forms. This could lock away carbon for tens of thousands of years, but the technology is still at a small scale and raises questions about ecological side effects and cost. Current tests are limited to coastal release projects using ships or specialized equipment. While the ocean already absorbs about 30% of annual human CO2 emissions, the natural weathering process is too slow to offset current emission rates. Proponents argue that alkalinity enhancement could be a durable carbon storage solution, but critics point to potential impacts on marine life, energy requirements for mining and grinding rock, and the difficulty of verifying net carbon removal at scale.
