The Legal Framework for Direct Ocean Carbon Capture and Storage (Volume 1: International Law)

[Geoengineering News]

https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/sabin_climate_change/271/

Authors: Romany M. Webb, Korey Silverman-Roati

April 2026

Abstract

This paper focuses on the marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approach of direct ocean carbon capture and storage (DOCCS), which aims to remove some of the carbon currently stored in the ocean and thereby enable it to uptake additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. DOCCS is still undergoing research, but early studies suggest it could have significant carbon dioxide removal potential. However, DOCCS could also present environmental and other risks, including from the construction of new facilities, the intake and processing of water, and the handling and storage of carbon dioxide. Careful siting, design, and operation of DOCCS systems is essential to mitigate these risks.

The risks associated with DOCCS highlight the need for effective governance to ensure research and any future deployment proceeds in a safe, responsible, and just way. This paper, the first in a series of two, explores the governance of DOCCS under international law. The second paper will consider the application of U.S. domestic law to DOCCS. Together, the two papers offer the first comprehensive review of the existing legal framework for DOCCS and begin to identify key uncertainties, gaps, and shortcomings that will need to be addressed to ensure robust governance of the practice.

Source: Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

[Philip Kithil]

...once again the legal beagles tie themselves in knots trying to apply non-applicable or semi-ancient treaties. DOCCS is most likely non-economic offshore (or offshore installations are such small volume as to be irrelevant) so why the big deal?

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[Dan Galpern]

The treaties examined therein do not seem ancient to me, but maybe I'm getting old. 

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[Philip Kithil]

......meaning, the treaties for the most part were written before the effects of too much CO2 well known.......so trying to fit those square pegs into the CO2 round hole seems far fetched.......if human governance were up to the task (never) it would recognize we're already at +1.5 degrees C and the oceans especially need major restoration......oh well.