This summer, I had the opportunity to work at the Environmental Defense Fund, where I researched the political landscape of marine/ocean carbon dioxide removal (mCDR/oCDR) and assisted EDF in further developing their mCDR strategy. During my time at EDF, I was part of the Blue Carbon Team, which operates within the larger Ocean Sciences Team. With the guidance of my supervisor, Mattias Cape, I began my internship by familiarizing myself with mCDR, starting with diving into the latest peer-reviewed literature to understand the basic technologies. Significant funding and resources are focused on understanding the ecological impacts of mCDR on marine ecosystems, but it is also important to assess the social and economic effects on communities if these technologies are deployed.

My work began by developing a comprehensive view of the mCDR industry, including not only scientific knowledge but also current social considerations and governance frameworks. To do that, I conducted a combination of literature reviews and semi-structured interviews, both externally with other organizations and internally within EDF. For one of my external interviews, I chatted with fellow MIIS student (and friend!), Allie Chapman, who is currently working on drafting a bill outlining mCDR governance structures. Within EDF, I had the opportunity to speak with the Equity and Climate Justice as well as the Political Affairs teams. During these meetings, our main goals were to share our work within the Blue Carbon team, identify challenges in the mCDR space from these teams’ perspectives, and explore potential areas for future collaboration.

The other main focus of my work this summer involved mapping key actors and organizations in the mCDR space, including members of the Senate and House of Representatives, federal institutions, academic researchers, and NGOs/nonprofits. After generating an ecosystem map of these players and organizations on a national scale, I focused my efforts on identifying key actors in regions where mCDR activities are already underway. 

Currently, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is applying for a permit from the EPA under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act to conduct field trials of their LOC-NESS project. The LOC-NESS project aims to investigate the impacts and effectiveness of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) in the waters southwest of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Starting this fall, EDF will be partnering with the LOC-NESS project to support their community engagement efforts in the Northeast region. As with all climate work, it is essential to prioritize local communities’ needs and interests from the very beginning. To help EDF prepare for this partnership, I reviewed public comments on various permit applications in the Northeast region, involving mCDR as well as other industries such as offshore wind, to gauge community responses—whether supportive, opposed, or neutral—and to identify additional stakeholders who may not yet have been considered.

In addition to carrying out my own research, my time at EDF provided valuable networking and professional development opportunities. I participated in workshops hosted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to discuss social perceptions of marine technologies and by American University’s Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal to explore environmental justice concerns and current CDR legislation in California.

While most of my internship was spent working remotely from Monterey, I had the opportunity to visit the San Francisco office during EDF’s annual retreat. While there, I met so many kind and dedicated people from various departments, including the methane SAT, EDF+Business, and legal teams. It was inspiring to hear about the incredible work everyone is doing, especially since I might not have had the chance to interact with them had I been entirely remote. Although my time at EDF this summer has come to an end, I am so grateful for the professional development and learning opportunities I experienced. I am so thankful for all the wonderful people I got to meet and work with and am excited to see how they will continue to advance the mCDR field, support community needs, and be a strong voice in bringing attention to social considerations in this developing industry.