Ocean Newsletter
No.599 November 20, 2025
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Discussion on Marine Geoengineering under the London Protocol
OKOCHI Yumi (Sustainable Society Design Unit, Environmental Consulting Department, JAPAN NUS CO., LTD) , KISHIMOTO Yukio (Senior Advisor, JAPAN NUS CO., LTD)
The London Protocol is an international treaty that generally prohibits ocean dumping, but allows the dumping of certain wastes, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), under permit. This paper introduces the amendments and recent discussions regarding CO₂ storage in sub-seabed geological formations and marine geoengineering. It also discusses future challenges in these fields.
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Technologies for Enhancing the Ocean's Carbon Dioxide Absorption Capacity
HONDA Makio (Senior Researcher, Global Environment Division, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)
The ocean, with its carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage capacity approximately 60 times that of the atmosphere, has played a role in regulating global CO₂ concentrations. However, since the Industrial Revolution, CO₂ emissions have exceeded natural storage capacity, leading to a situation sometimes referred to as the boiling earth. This paper introduces a technology (mCDR) that artificially enhances the ocean's already high CO₂ absorption capacity as one proactive measure to mitigate global warming.
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Pollution in Rivers and Oceans by Pharmaceuticals: What Are the Impacts on Ecosystems?
SOYANO Kiyoshi (Director/Professor, Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University)
We use many pharmaceuticals in our daily lives. These pharmaceuticals are released into aquatic environment through sewage treatment plants, and it is becoming increasingly clear that they affect the organisms living there. In particular, pharmaceuticals that act on the nervous system can cause abnormalities in fish behavior and reproduction. Because pharmaceuticals are essential for maintaining human health, it is necessary to correctly understand their biological effects and consider how we can coexist with them.