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geoengineering explained: the benefits and challenges of enhanced weathering

Ecosystems United

Enhanced weathering is the process of exposing large quantities of minerals that are reactive with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and storing the resulting compound in the ocean or soil. It is considered a form of carbon dioxide removal or CDR.

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BENEFITS

CHALLENGES
  • Has the potential to increase terrestrial and oceanic net productivity
  • Can be used to improve agricultural output
  • Dependent on fossil fuels for execution which may reduce overall efficacy
  • Insufficient data and inability to accurately predict how fluxes in nutrients will impact Earth’s various systems
  • Applications of rock powder to the land’s surface may increase overall dust
  • The mobilization of potentially toxic chemicals from silicate rocks may detrimentally affect the food chain

see also:

Question: What is geoengineering?

Albedo Enhancement
Space Reflectors
Stratospheric Aerosols

Afforestation
Ambient Air Capture
Biochar
Bioenergy Capture and Sequestration
Ocean Fertilization
Enhanced Weathering
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement

source:
Jens Hartmann, A. J.-G. (2013, May 23). Enhanced chemical weathering as a geoengineering strategy to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide, supply nutrients, and mitigate ocean acidification. Review of Geophysics, pp. 113-149. 

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