Countries intensify efforts to address marine geoengineering

Parties to the London Convention and Protocol (LC/LP) - the IMO treaties that regulate the dumping of wastes at sea - have warned against the potential negative impacts of rising marine geoengineering activities and adopted a statement to highlight the current state of work undertaken under the treaties. [Read the full statement]

Marine geoengineering, as defined under the London Protocol, seeks to mitigate climate change by using ocean-based methods to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as stimulating plankton growth or brightening clouds.

Meeting at IMO headquarters in London (27 - 31 October), Parties to the LC/LP stressed that protecting the marine environment must remain central to any such actions. 

They highlighted the growing number of marine geoengineering activities worldwide, including those conducted by private or commercial companies, which could potentially have harmful effects due to their nature and scale.

Some countries raised concerns about the possible environmental, social and economic impacts on developing countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Based on their deliberations, the meeting agreed to re-establish the intersessional Correspondence Group on marine geoengineering to continue working on the issue and to report back to the next LC/LP meeting in 2026.  

The correspondence group will focus on:

• clarifying how the London Convention and Protocol apply to marine geoengineering;
• refining definitions for the priority marine engineering techniques currently under review;
• clarifying the application of the revised Ocean Fertilization Assessment Framework and the draft assessment frameworks for other techniques; and
• advising on steps to support their implementation. 

Parties confirmed their commitment to strengthening the scientific understanding of marine geoengineering techniques to inform their decisions and potential actions.  

Among other topics, the meeting further advanced discussions on carbon sequestration in sub-seabed geological formations, disposal of fibreglass vessels and managing radioactive wastes dumped at sea, and technical cooperation to support the implementation of the LC/LP.

See the full meeting summary here: 47th Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention and the 20th Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol (LC 47/LP 20)