I am committed to creating the experience of community wherever I am and to having people around me succeed in realizing the full expression of their potential in whatever they are going for in life!
Judith Owens-Manley
Climate Restoration Ambassador
Central New York and Anchorage, Alaska, USA
My Stand is to be a Connector and Listener for empowering each and every person’s unique expression and contribution in life.
My objective as a Climate Ambassador is to educate and empower our families and communities for their own climate journeys and a greater demand for action on climate restoration, including an awareness of the need for climate justice.
I am an Educator, a Psychotherapist, and a Writer, and I utilize all of my background and skills as a Climate Ambassador.
I contribute to The Grandparent’s Fund and encourage others to do so for the future of my young grandchildren and for all children on Planet Earth.
I live in two communities, Central New York and Anchorage, Alaska, both of which experience the impact of climate change and are also taking some actions to mitigate or adapt.
The quote that grounds me as a Climate Ambassador: ” The fundamental role of imagination and hope is just the ability to imagine a world that’s different from what it is now.” –Rebecca Solnit
Who I plan to have an impact with as a Climate Ambassador:
- Rotary Clubs in Anchorage
- Personal friends and family
- Establishing new Women & Climate groups in Anchorage, Alaska and Utica, New York
- Writers
- Social Workers, Psychologists and other Mental Health Professionals
What is Climate Restoration?
Published here with permission from the Foundation for Climate Restoration.
The Urgency of Net Zero
As the world grapples with rising temperatures and worsening climate impacts, the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is increasingly seen as insufficient. Some scientists argue that to avoid the most severe climate tipping points—such as the collapse of ice sheets, massive biodiversity loss, and extreme weather amplification—we must dramatically accelerate our timeline.
While reaching net zero by 2030 may seem unattainable given current global policies, a growing number of experts suggest that rapid deployment of scalable carbon removal solutions could make it feasible.
Can Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) play a decisive role in making it happen? Let’s break it down with real numbers.
The Scale of the Net Zero Challenge
How Much CO₂ Do We Need to Remove?
- Current global CO₂ emissions: ~40 gigatons (Gt) per year (as of 2023)¹.
- To reach net zero, we must:
- Eliminate most human-caused emissions through clean energy, electrification, and efficiency.
- Remove any remaining CO₂ through negative emissions technologies.
Even with ambitious emissions cuts, we will still need to remove 10-20 Gt CO₂ per year to fully offset hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, industry, and agriculture².
Can OIF Remove Enough CO₂ to Get Us to Net Zero by 2030?
OIF’s Potential for Carbon Removal
Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) stimulates phytoplankton growth by adding iron to iron-deficient regions of the ocean. This boosts photosynthesis, leading to carbon capture as phytoplankton absorb CO₂ and transport a portion to the deep ocean when they die, where it remains sequestered for centuries.
Based on previous experiments and modeling³:
- 1 ton of iron can stimulate 100,000 to 200,000 tons of phytoplankton growth.
- Each ton of phytoplankton captures roughly 0.15 tons of CO₂.
- This means 1 ton of iron could remove 15,000 to 30,000 tons of CO₂.
At full-scale deployment, OIF could remove:
- 1 Gt CO₂ per year using ~67,000 tons of iron⁴.
- 60 Gt CO₂ per year using ~4 million tons of iron (a fraction of global iron ore mining)⁴.
This suggests that, in theory, OIF alone could remove all human-caused CO₂ emissions annually, making net zero by 2030 possible—if deployed at scale.
What Would It Take to Implement OIF at Scale?
Speed & Feasibility of Deployment
Scaling OIF to full capacity requires rapid coordination, investment, and international collaboration. The Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA) is now leading the charge to scale up the Climate Restoration Industry, bringing together scientists, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to deploy OIF at the speed and scale required.
- Pilot Projects (2025-2026) – CRA is supporting initial OIF trials, validating methodologies, and ensuring MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) systems meet scientific and policy standards. These small-scale deployments will provide critical data on CO₂ sequestration efficiency and ecosystem impacts.
- Expansion to Multiple Locations (2027-2028) – Building on pilot success, OIF projects will be deployed across multiple ocean regions, increasing CO₂ removal capacity to several gigatons per year while refining monitoring systems and securing regulatory approvals.
- Full-Scale Deployment (2029-2030) – CRA is working to facilitate global-scale OIF deployment, reaching 60 Gt CO₂ removal per year by 2030. This level of carbon removal would not only achieve net zero emissions globally but also drive net-negative emissions, actively restoring the climate to pre-industrial conditions.
With CRA at the forefront of rapidly scaling the Climate Restoration Industry, OIF could put the world on track to achieve net zero by 2030—or even sooner.
Conclusion: OIF Can Be the Fastest Path to Net Zero
The world does not have to wait until 2050 to reach net zero. With bold action, we can get there by 2030—or even sooner.
🌍 OIF is the only carbon removal solution scalable enough to offset global emissions in time.
💡 By investing in OIF now, we can accelerate climate restoration and secure a livable future.
Call to Action: Let’s Make Net Zero by 2030 a Reality
OIF is not a distant idea—it’s a ready-to-scale climate solution. But we need funding, policy support, and international cooperation to make it happen.
👉 Join us in scaling OIF to restore our climate faster than ever before. Let’s achieve net zero and beyond!
Sources
- Global Carbon Project (2023). Global Carbon Budget 2023.
- IPCC (2022). Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change Mitigation.
- Martin, J.H. et al. (1991). Iron deficiency limits phytoplankton growth in the north-east Pacific subarctic. Nature, 350, 227-229.
- Smetacek, V., & Naqvi, S.W.A. (2008). The next generation of iron fertilization experiments in the Southern Ocean. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 366(1882), 3947-3967.
A Climate Solution That Drives Global Progress
As the world searches for effective climate solutions, Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) emerges as a powerful tool—not just for reducing CO₂ but for driving economic growth, restoring marine ecosystems, and improving global food security. While primarily seen as a climate restoration strategy, OIF has the potential to accelerate multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), benefiting people, economies, and the planet.
OIF’s Impact on Key SDGs
1. SDG 13: Climate Action
✅ Removing CO₂ at Gigaton Scale – OIF enhances the ocean’s ability to absorb CO₂, potentially removing up to 60 Gt of CO₂ per year, helping restore pre-industrial climate conditions.
✅ Strengthening Ocean-Based Carbon Removal – As part of a global climate strategy, OIF helps meet Paris Agreement goals and stabilizes the climate for future generations.
2. SDG 14: Life Below Water
✅ Restoring Marine Ecosystems – By stimulating phytoplankton blooms, OIF increases marine biodiversity, supporting healthier oceans.
✅ Replenishing Global Fish Stocks – More phytoplankton means more zooplankton, more small fish, and ultimately more large fish, revitalizing fisheries and marine food chains.
3. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
✅ Increasing Seafood Production – OIF could significantly expand global fish populations, providing a reliable source of protein for millions.
✅ Supporting Coastal Communities – Fisheries are critical for food security in many developing nations. By boosting fish stocks, OIF helps sustain local economies and nutrition.
Can Climate Restoration Solve Hunger?
4. SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
✅ Creating New Jobs in the Blue Economy – OIF has the potential to create thousands of jobs per deployment site, from marine research and vessel operations to fisheries and carbon credit markets.
✅ Strengthening Coastal Economies – Fishing, aquaculture, and marine biotechnology will benefit, ensuring sustainable economic growth.
Can Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) Drive Economic Development?
5. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
✅ Scaling Carbon Removal Technologies – OIF will drive innovation in ocean monitoring, carbon credit verification, and sustainable fisheries management.
✅ Expanding Marine Biotechnology – From biofuels to pharmaceuticals, OIF-enhanced plankton blooms can unlock new industries.
6. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production
✅ Sustainable Seafood Production – OIF can increase fish stocks without overexploitation, ensuring long-term food security.
✅ Reducing Pressure on Land-Based Agriculture – More seafood availability means less demand for resource-intensive livestock farming, cutting water and land use.
7. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
✅ International Collaboration – OIF requires cooperation between governments, NGOs, scientific institutions, and investors, fostering global partnerships.
✅ Unlocking Climate Finance – OIF-based carbon credits can attract billions in investments, supporting sustainable development worldwide.
A Multi-SDG Climate Solution
Unlike traditional carbon removal methods, OIF doesn’t just capture CO₂—it revitalizes ecosystems, strengthens economies, and feeds millions. By integrating climate restoration with economic and social progress, OIF can be a game-changer for achieving global sustainability goals.
Call to Action: Support OIF for a Sustainable Future
The Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA) is at the forefront of scaling OIF as a multi-SDG accelerator, ensuring that its deployment delivers economic, environmental, and social benefits.
CRA is actively working with governments, businesses, and international organizations to integrate OIF into global carbon removal strategies, sustainable fisheries management, and blue economy investments.
By aligning OIF with climate finance, policy incentives, and corporate sustainability commitments, CRA is ensuring that ocean-based climate restoration is not only scientifically sound but also economically viable and socially impactful.
The time to act is now. Ocean Iron Fertilization is more than a climate solution—it’s a catalyst for economic resilience, food security, and environmental restoration.
👉 Join us in advancing OIF as a global solution. Whether you’re an investor, policymaker, or sustainability advocate, your support can help accelerate multiple SDGs and create a thriving, climate-restored world.
Would you like me to refine any section or add specific case studies?
From Climate Restoration to Economic Growth
While Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) is primarily seen as a climate restoration tool, its economic potential is just as compelling. By stimulating marine productivity, OIF can unlock new revenue streams, create jobs, and revitalize coastal economies.
This article explores how large-scale OIF deployment can:
- Create thousands of jobs per deployment site across marine industries.
- Boost global fisheries, increasing seafood supply and income for fishing communities.
- Develop new industries, from carbon markets to ocean-based biotechnology.
- Strengthen coastal economies, providing sustainable livelihoods.
How OIF Can Boost the Global Economy
1. Job Creation: Thousands of New Jobs Per OIF Site
At full-scale operation, 60 Gt of CO₂ removal per year would be distributed across 30-50 OIF deployment sites worldwide. Each site would need a dedicated workforce across research, vessel operations, fisheries, and carbon credit management.
A single OIF deployment site is estimated to create:
- Marine Research & Science: Each site would require oceanographers, climate scientists, and engineers, employing 300-500 people per site.
- Vessel Operations & Logistics: With multiple vessels per site conducting iron dispersal, monitoring, and maintenance, each site would employ 1,500-2,500 maritime workers.
- Fisheries & Seafood Industry: Increased fish biomass from OIF would expand local fisheries. Each site could support 20,000-40,000 new jobs in fishing, processing, and distribution.
- Carbon Credit & MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification): Managing and verifying climate credits would require 500-1,000 financial and regulatory professionals per site.
- Marine Biotechnology & Innovation: Growth in bio-based industries like algae-derived products and pharmaceuticals would create 200-500 jobs per site.
Across 30-50 sites, global job creation from OIF would be 900,000 to 2.2 million jobs worldwide, depending on the scale of deployment.
2. Enhancing Fisheries and Aquaculture
- By stimulating phytoplankton blooms, OIF increases fish populations, supporting commercial fisheries.
- A single OIF site could generate millions of tons of additional fish biomass, supporting thousands of local jobs.
- Seafood is a $400 billion global industry—enhancing fish stocks means increased profitability for businesses and food security for communities.
3. Creating a Carbon Credit Market
- OIF removes gigatons of CO₂ from the atmosphere, making it eligible for climate credits.
- With the carbon market projected to reach $2.4 trillion by 2027, OIF-based credits could become a major revenue stream.
- Each site could generate millions of carbon credits annually, attracting funding from corporations, governments, and ESG investors.
4. Fueling Marine Biotechnology & Innovation
- OIF-driven plankton blooms can support new bio-based industries, such as algae-based biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and sustainable fish feed.
- Each OIF site could serve as a hub for marine innovation, creating spin-off industries in biotechnology.
A Blueprint for Sustainable Economic Growth
OIF is not just an environmental solution—it’s an economic strategy. By scaling up this approach, we can:
✅ Create thousands of jobs per site in ocean-based industries.
✅ Boost global food supply with sustainable fisheries.
✅ Develop new financial opportunities through carbon credits.
✅ Drive innovation in marine-based industries.
Call to Action: Be Part of the Blue Economy Revolution
The Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA) is spearheading the development of a new blue economy, where OIF is not only a climate solution but also an engine for economic growth.
CRA is working to rapidly scale OIF operations, attracting investment in carbon markets, fisheries, and marine biotechnology while ensuring that new industries create sustainable, long-term jobs.
By bringing together entrepreneurs, scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders, CRA is accelerating the transition to an economy that thrives on climate restoration—creating millions of jobs while regenerating ocean ecosystems.
We need partners, investors, and policymakers to help bring this vision to reality.
👉 Join us in shaping the future. Support our OIF initiative and be part of a sustainable economic revolution.
Sources
- FAO (2022). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- BloombergNEF (2023). Carbon Markets Outlook: Growth Trends and Forecasts.
- Allied Market Research (2022). Marine Biotechnology Market Size & Forecast, 2021-2027.
Does this version match your vision? Let me know if you want further refinements!
The Connection Between Climate and Food Security
Hunger remains one of the most pressing global challenges, and organizations like The Hunger Project and RESULTS have been at the forefront of efforts to eradicate it. The Hunger Project focuses on empowering communities to develop sustainable food systems through grassroots leadership, education, and self-reliance programs¹. RESULTS is a global advocacy organization dedicated to ending poverty by influencing policy changes related to food security, healthcare, and economic opportunity².
Some of our team members are proud graduates of these organizations, and their experience in tackling food insecurity informs our work in climate restoration.
But what if one of the most powerful solutions to global hunger lies not only in agricultural improvements but also in restoring the climate? Specifically, what if we could dramatically increase ocean fish populations through large-scale Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF)?
How OIF Boosts Fish Populations
OIF works by adding small amounts of iron to nutrient-poor areas of the ocean, stimulating massive phytoplankton blooms. These blooms capture CO₂ through photosynthesis, turning atmospheric carbon into organic biomass. This biomass forms the base of the marine food chain, feeding zooplankton, small fish, and ultimately larger fish species.
To understand the full potential of OIF, let’s calculate:
- How much fish biomass can be produced from a single OIF project?
- What happens when we scale up to remove 60 gigatons (Gt) of CO₂ per year?
- How many people could we feed with this additional fish supply?
Calculating Fish Biomass from OIF
1) CO₂ Conversion to Biomass
- Phytoplankton convert CO₂ into organic matter at an approximate ratio of 1 ton of CO₂ → 2 tons of phytoplankton biomass³.
- Not all of this biomass turns into fish; much is consumed by bacteria, zooplankton, and other organisms.
2) Trophic Efficiency and Fish Yield
Energy transfer through the marine food web follows a general 10% efficiency rule⁴:
- About 10% of phytoplankton biomass becomes zooplankton biomass.
- 10% of zooplankton biomass turns into small fish biomass.
- 10% of small fish biomass becomes large fish biomass (e.g., tuna, cod, salmon).
3) Scaling Up to Full OIF Deployment
If we remove 60 Gt of CO₂ per year, that equates to:
- 120 Gt of phytoplankton biomass (at a 2:1 ratio)³.
- 12 Gt of zooplankton biomass (10% of phytoplankton)⁴.
- 1.2 Gt of small fish biomass (10% of zooplankton)⁴.
- 0.12 Gt (120 million tons) of large fish biomass (10% of small fish)⁴.
Feeding the World with OIF-Enhanced Fisheries
The global average fish consumption per person is 20 kg (44 lbs) per year⁵.
120 million tons of extra fish biomass could feed 6 billion people with 20 kg of fish annually!
Conclusion: Restoring the Climate to End Hunger
If fully implemented, Ocean Iron Fertilization could add enough fish to the ocean to feed nearly the entire human population at current consumption rates. This means that climate restoration is not just about reducing CO₂ levels—it’s about regenerating life and solving some of humanity’s biggest challenges, including hunger.
By restoring the ocean’s natural productivity, we can create a future where abundant marine food sources support food security, economic stability, and a thriving planet. Climate restoration isn’t just about survival—it’s about flourishing.
Call to Action: Support Our Ocean Iron Fertilization Project
The Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA) is not only advancing Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) as a climate solution but also as a way to enhance global food security. By coordinating large-scale OIF deployment, CRA is working with scientists, policymakers, investors, and industry leaders to restore ocean ecosystems and revitalize fisheries.
Through strategic partnerships and funding, CRA ensures that OIF benefits coastal communities, small-scale fishers, and global seafood markets, making abundant, nutritious food available to billions. With the potential to double the world’s wild fish supply, CRA’s leadership in scaling OIF is a key step toward ending hunger.
Restoring the climate isn’t just about reducing carbon—it’s about regenerating life. Our Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) project has the potential to restore marine ecosystems, increase fish populations, and help solve global hunger.
We need partners, funders, and advocates to help scale this proven solution. By supporting our initiative, you’re not only investing in climate restoration but also in food security for billions of people.
Invest in our OIF Project.
Sources
- The Hunger Project. (2024). “Our Work.” Retrieved from https://thp.org/our-work.
- RESULTS. (2024). “About Us.” Retrieved from https://results.org/about.
- Martin, J.H., Gordon, R.M., & Fitzwater, S.E. (1991). “Iron deficiency limits phytoplankton growth in the north-east Pacific subarctic.” Nature, 350, 227–229.
- Pauly, D. & Christensen, V. (1995). “Primary production required to sustain global fisheries.” Nature, 374, 255–257.
- FAO (2022). “The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
When we think about climate restoration, our minds often jump to large-scale initiatives—cutting emissions, removing carbon from the atmosphere, and transitioning to renewable energy. But one of the most immediate and impactful actions we can take starts much closer to home: sorting waste at the source.
Why Source Separation Matters
Every piece of waste we generate has two potential fates—either it becomes a resource or a burden. The difference? Sorting. When we separate waste correctly from the moment it’s discarded, we unlock its potential for recycling, composting, or repurposing. On the other hand, mixed waste is harder to process, contaminates recyclable materials, and often ends up in landfills or incinerators—contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation.
From my experience conducting waste surveys and developing management strategies for municipalities, businesses, and institutions across Israel, I’ve seen firsthand how small changes in waste sorting can have a massive impact. When properly sorted, organic waste can be transformed into compost or biogas, plastics can be recycled into new products, and hazardous materials can be kept out of our water and soil.
The Cost of Contamination
When recyclable materials are thrown into general waste bins, they often get contaminated—rendering them unusable. This contamination isn’t just an inconvenience; it increases the cost of waste treatment and significantly reduces recycling rates. Many of the organizations I’ve worked with were shocked to realize that a simple change in internal waste management—adding separate bins, improving signage, or training staff—led to a drastic improvement in their waste diversion rates.
For example, a waste survey I conducted at a major commercial center revealed that up to 40% of “general waste” was actually recyclable. With clear sorting guidelines and a simple bin system, we cut down landfill-bound waste by half, saving the company money and reducing its environmental footprint.
Waste Sorting as Climate Action
Climate restoration isn’t just about removing excess CO₂ from the atmosphere—it’s about preventing further damage. Landfills are among the largest sources of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period. Every ton of organic waste that is properly composted instead of landfilled helps reduce methane emissions.
Beyond methane reduction, efficient waste sorting supports a circular economy—one where materials are reused rather than extracted anew. This reduces the demand for raw materials, cutting down on deforestation, mining, and fossil fuel consumption.
A Call to Action
The good news? Waste sorting is one of the easiest and most immediate steps we can take for climate restoration. Whether you’re an individual, a business, or a municipality, implementing better waste separation practices requires minimal effort and delivers immediate benefits.
Here’s how you can start:
✅ Use separate bins for organic waste, recyclables, and general waste.
✅ Improve signage to make sorting simple and intuitive.
✅ Train employees and residents—education is key to compliance.
✅ Conduct a waste audit—you can’t improve what you don’t measure.
✅ Advocate for better policies—support local initiatives that promote source separation and circular waste systems.
Every discarded item is a choice—between contributing to the problem or becoming part of the solution. Sorting waste at the source isn’t just a logistical matter; it’s a climate action strategy that every one of us can take part in today.
Let’s restore the climate, one bin at a time.
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Realizing the vision of a safe climate for our grandchildren requires significant funding.
Thanks to your commitment and generosity, we successfully raised the funds needed to complete the first step: The Buoy Test (budget: around $80K).
While The Buoy Test enters its final stages, we are shifting our collective focus to our next milestone: the CRA OIF project.
To complete the project we’ll need to raise millions of dollars, which may come in the form of donations, investments or both.
To help us succeed, we are forming two groups:
The CRA Fundraising Committee will help develop and implement fundraising strategies to invite more people to contribute and ensure we have sufficient funds to support and grow our operations.
The Climate Restoration Investors Club will bring together forward-thinking impact investors dedicated to restoring the climate for their/our grandchildren, while generating meaningful financial returns. Members will gain access to curated, high-impact investment opportunities that drive meaningful change.
Founding members of this exclusive club will help design the ethical and practical principles of investments within the Climate Restoration Industry, where the mission always comes first, and profits are a second priority.
If you are interested in participating in or shaping either one of these initiatives, I invite you to connect with me at ilan.mandel@gcr.fund and we will schedule a time for a personal conversation.
Together, we can restore the climate for future generations!
With hope and determination,
Ilan Mandel
Central Coordinator, The Climate Restoration Alliance
Managing Director, The Grandparents Fund for Climate Restoration
Climate Restoration Ambassador
I have chosen to endorse the Rotary District 7150 Climate Restoration Resolution thereby joining with the Climate Restoration Alliance in making Climate Restoration be an “Idea Whose Time Has Come”
Individuals: Please fill the form below.
Organizations: Please follow these steps:
- Create a copy of the Climate Restoration Resolution Template.
- Edit and adapt it to your organization’s language and mission.
- Sign it, scan it, and upload the file using this form, by uploading the signed resolution you are giving us permission to post your organization name, logo, and resolution on our website.