Every so often, an idea comes along that is so simple and effective it feels like a no-brainer—until you realize just how much resistance it faces. That’s exactly what’s happening with ocean fertilization, a method of removing carbon from the atmosphere that should be at the center of climate discussions but instead has been pushed to the fringes.
Quico Toro’s recent article, “The Reason You’ve Never Heard of Ocean Fertilization”, dives into why this promising solution remains so obscure. The short answer? Environmental groups have done a fantastic job of shutting it down before it ever had a chance.
The science behind ocean fertilization is solid. It’s based on the research of oceanographer John Martin, who showed that adding small amounts of iron to iron-deficient parts of the ocean could trigger massive phytoplankton blooms. These blooms not only support marine life but also pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sink it to the ocean floor. In theory, it’s an incredibly efficient and natural way to sequester CO₂.
But here’s where things get complicated. Instead of embracing the potential of this method, organizations like Greenpeace and WWF led the charge against it, warning of possible ecological side effects and claiming it was a dangerous form of geoengineering. Their concerns weren’t entirely baseless—any large-scale intervention in nature has risks—but their opposition effectively stalled progress. The LOHAFEX experiment, a major international attempt to study iron fertilization, was nearly canceled due to these pressures.
This brings up a bigger issue: Why do we allow fear to dictate our response to climate change? The argument that geoengineering solutions like ocean fertilization create a “moral hazard” (because they might distract from emissions reductions) is deeply flawed. We need to throw every viable solution at the climate crisis, and yet, we keep rejecting the ones that don’t fit neatly into the established narrative.
Toro’s piece is a must-read because it challenges the assumption that environmental activism always leads us toward the best solutions. Sometimes, it shuts them down. If we truly care about restoring the climate, we need to question who gets to decide what ideas are worth exploring—and whether we can afford to keep ignoring options like ocean fertilization.
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 remove10-20 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.
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.
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.
✅ 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.
✅ 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?
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.
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.
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 tools for addressing global hunger isn’t just in agriculture—but in the ocean? And what if restoring the ocean’s natural productivity could help secure nutritious food for billions?
This is the intriguing possibility offered by Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF).
How OIF Might Boost Fish Populations
OIF works by adding small amounts of iron to nutrient-poor regions of the ocean, stimulating phytoplankton blooms. These microscopic plants capture CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, converting it into organic biomass that forms the base of the marine food chain—ultimately feeding zooplankton, small fish, and larger fish species.
So, what could happen if we scaled OIF to its full theoretical potential?
Let’s explore a “what if” scenario to understand the magnitude of the opportunity.
A Hypothetical Calculation: From CO₂ to Fish
1. CO₂ Conversion to Biomass
Phytoplankton convert CO₂ into organic matter at roughly 1 ton CO₂ → 2 tons phytoplankton biomass³.
Not all of this biomass reaches the upper levels of the food web—some is consumed or recycled at lower levels.
2. Trophic Efficiency and Fish Yield
Energy transfer through the marine food chain follows a general 10% rule⁴:
10% of phytoplankton becomes zooplankton
10% of zooplankton becomes small fish
10% of small fish becomes large fish
3. Scaling the Hypothetical Impact of Full OIF Deployment
If OIF were deployed globally to remove 60 Gt of CO₂ annually, we might see:
120 Gt of phytoplankton biomass (at a 2:1 ratio)³
12 Gt of zooplankton biomass
1.2 Gt of small fish biomass
0.12 Gt (120 million tons) of large fish biomass
4. What Could That Mean for Food Security?
The global average fish consumption per person is around 20 kg (44 lbs) per year⁵.
In this scenario, 120 million tons of extra large fish could theoretically feed 6 billion people annually.
A Possibility Worth Exploring
Of course, this scenario is based on ideal conditions and simplified assumptions. In the real world, many factors—ecological limits, ocean currents, nutrient cycling, biodiversity impacts, and policy considerations—would influence the actual outcomes of large-scale OIF.
But even if a fraction of this potential is realized, it could transform global food systems. A 10% increase in ocean productivity, for example, could support hundreds of millions of people with additional seafood protein, bolster coastal economies, and provide critical support to regions facing hunger.
The Role of CRA: Restoring the Climate, Regenerating Life
The Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA) is not only advancing Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) as a climate solution but also as a bold strategy to support global food security. By coordinating large-scale OIF deployment, CRA works with scientists, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, 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 more accessible to billions. With the potential to significantly increase the global fish supply, CRA’s leadership in scaling OIF is a key step toward ending hunger while restoring the climate.
Call to Action: Join the Movement
Restoring the climate isn’t just about reducing carbon—it’s about regenerating life. Our Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) project has the potential to enhance marine ecosystems, increase fish populations, and help alleviate global hunger.
We’re looking for partners, funders, and advocates to help scale this promising solution. By supporting CRA’s OIF initiative, you’re investing in both climate restoration and food security for future generations.
Can we restore the climate with a simple, cost-effective process? The math behind ocean iron fertilization (OIF) suggests we can.
In his post, Peter Fiekowsky breaks down the astonishing efficiency of OIF—how adding a small amount of iron to specific parts of the ocean can trigger massive phytoplankton blooms that pull CO₂ from the atmosphere. The numbers are staggering:
Key Takeaways:
1 ton of iron can capture up to 200,000 tons of CO₂.
OIF could scale up to remove 60 gigatons of CO₂ per year, enough to restore pre-industrial levels.
The 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo unintentionally demonstrated OIF’s potential when volcanic ash triggered a phytoplankton bloom, leading to a measurable cooling effect.
At the Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA), we focus on science-backed, scalable solutions that don’t just slow climate change but reverse it. OIF is one of the most promising tools we have to achieve that goal.
Thanks to you we have raised 46% of our $70,000 budget, and purchased the first buoy!
The buoy was picked up last week from San Francisco by Alan, our lead engineer.
In parallel, design work has been happening. Here is Alan inspecting a PTFE membrane after it had been exposed to 18-ft of depth – This is the first time a large membrane (1.5″ pipe with O-ring seal, so about 1.65″ diam circle of exchange area) has survived our 18-ft depth test!
What’s Next:
We plan to finalize a design by late December and then create and install fixturing to mount the detectors on the buoys and integrate them with the satellite communication system.
We will then test this first buoy in January in nearby bodies of water while acquiring the 2nd and 3rd buoys (we need your help for that!). When those are received, they will be fitted with detectors in preparation for the offshore test sometime in late February.
The Climate Restoration Fund supports critical climate restoration programs to restore a safe climate for our children by 2050 and give them a livable planet.
Our newsletter is designed to keep you up to date on our progress and to keep those of us who care about our mission aligned together in a powerful community.
As you recall, OIF (Ocean Iron Fertilization) is about replicating a natural CO2 removal process by intentionally addition of small amounts of iron to the ocean surface to promote phytoplankton blooms.
Before launching a full-scale OIF project, we are planning a small experiment in California to test the measuring equipment. This involves deploying 3 buoys equipped with sensors connected via satellite.
The buoys will be deployed 60-70 miles off shore, and float around for about a month while we track their position and CO2 levels at their location.
Here is an update from Jim Wilson, tirelessly working with a group of empowered students and Congressman Thompson to introduce the Climate Restoration Resolution into Congress in the upcoming months. It goes next for legislative council approval, a process that can take two weeks or more.
The Resolution ends with:
“… Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), that Congress formally recognizes our obligation to future generations to restore a safe climate, and declares climate restoration, along with achieving net-zero and net-negative CO2 emissions, to be a climate policy priority; calling on the President, Secretary of State, and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations to pursue a climate treaty that will restore and stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations to preindustrial levels as our common climate goal.”
What a major achievement that will be!
More updates soon…
The Climate Restoration Alliance
The Climate Restoration Alliance connects and empowers people and organizations committed to restoring a livable planet. We aim to achieve carbon dioxide levels close to pre-industrial levels by 2050 and restore our natural ecosystems to allow humanity to flourish.
The Climate Restoration Alliance invites communities, organizations, companies, faith leaders, First Nation leaders, and the general public to endorse Climate Restoration as an idea whose time has come, and commit to achieving it by 2050.
We partner with First Nation leaders, faith leaders, corporate leaders, heads of organizations, and the general public through our Ambassadors Program.
Ambassadors invite their communities and followers to commit to climate restoration as the climate goal we all want.
Thanks to our incredible Climate Restoration Ambassadors, the following organizations recently adopted the Climate Restoration Resolution:
Climate Restoration Ambassador of the Month:
Judith Owens-Manley
I just spent last week with six grandchildren, ages 4 to 8, and there is no doubt at all about how important it is that we protect the world we need to leave for them. Their glorious enjoyment of the parks and playgrounds, clean sparkling waters to swim in, kayak, and sail, and small, friendly, shore towns–we want that to go on forever!
This is the environment I want to leave behind and why I encourage you to reach out to your family and friends to understand climate restoration and to endorse the Climate Restoration Resolution!
As I’m writing this, I’m also making plans to go back to Anchorage, Alaska, which I do every year about this time. I know, people think it’s crazy to return to Alaska for the winter. But not if you’re cross-country skiers, where we ski for five months a year, easily. Everywhere you live, you have the pristine environments that you care about, whether it’s your lakes, your mountains, your prairies, oceans, deserts, etc. We all want our children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy the outdoors as we have–without extreme heat, extreme storms, flooding, and the inevitable losses and migrations that will come with the climate crises that we’re experiencing even now.
Please join us in making your concerns active!
I contribute to The Grandparent’s Fund on a regular basis as one expression of my caring, and I take every opportunity that I have to make a difference by bringing up the conversation about my concerns for our climate.
It’s individual for each of us why we care and how we will take action. But please do act with your children and grandchildren in mind and for all children, even if you don’t have children or grandchildren!
Please sign the resolution (or click my link below) and make a monthly contribution to express your commitment to future generations:
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that causes about 1/3 of today’s global warming. Using Enhanced Atmospheric Methane Oxidation (EAMO), we can accelerate these processes and reduce atmospheric methane to pre-industrial levels. This could rewind warming back to 2002 levels by 2050 and protect humanity from catastrophic levels of melting permafrost.
Restoring our climate will require pulling a trillion tons of legacy carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2050. Farming seaweed, mainly fast-growing kelp and sargassum, can help achieve climate restoration.
