Enhanced oceanic uptake of carbon dioxide - An AIJ candidate

Photosynthetic Greenhouse Gas Mitigation, PGGM, is a process of nourishing the ocean to increase its uptake of carbon dioxide. Those nations adjacent to regions of the oceans suitable for PGGM technology have the opportunity to sequester carbon dioxide produced by other nations in a less favourable geographic location. This situation makes PGGM a technology potentially suitable for joint implementation under the UNFCCC. Australia, in December 1996, put in place a program of "activities implemented jointly" in order to contribute to reduction of Greenhouse Gas. Ocean nourishment has been proposed as a suitable technology because the reduction of carbon dioxide is easily measurable anti the host country does not suffer an opportunity cost. This paper describes a site in Asia that is suitable for the release of nutrients to nourish the central gyre of the Indian Ocean and as a consequence, sequester more carbon dioxide. PGGM requires an economical source of reactive nitrogen and a cross-shelf pipeline to transport the nutrient to a diffuser site at the edge of the continental shelf.