Request for Proposals
Effect of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement on Commercially and Culturally Important Species
In a joint effort, Carbon to Sea and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (PA2F), are soliciting proposals to study the impact of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) on commercially and culturally valued marine species. The aim of this funding opportunity is to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks and co-benefits of OAE deployment strategies as open-system field experiments scale over the next few years.
In the framework of this partnership, Carbon to Sea and PA2F intend to fund two, 24-month awards of up to 300,000 US Dollars (USD). Applications are due 16 January, 2026.
Context
In addition to drastically cutting our greenhouse gas emissions, meeting the ambitious climate targets of limiting warming to below 2°C necessitates the removal of multibillions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. While current carbon dioxide removal efforts have predominantly focused on land-based solutions, scientists are exploring ocean-based approaches, which are still in the early stages of development. Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) is emerging as a promising method that may increase the ocean’s ability to safely store carbon without increasing ocean acidification.
Current OAE research and development (R&D) activities include coastal and open-system field trials, often with a point source alkalinity release. Decisions on scaling this early research require continued in-field research but also a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of risks and co-benefits of OAE that may arise in the next 5 to 10 years.
To date, scientific research on the safety of OAE has largely focused on plankton responses (e.g., Biogeosciences Special Issue on Environmental Impacts of OAE). Yet, much of the societal interests around OAE center on the potential impacts on culturally and economically important marine species, including invertebrates and fish, for which key physiological, ecological, and life history processes have not yet been investigated.
The current gap between available scientific knowledge and societal priorities hinders inclusive and comprehensive risk-benefit assessments and effective decision-making for near term scaling of OAE R&D. This funding opportunity aims to close that gap by advancing knowledge of OAE impacts on valued species from higher trophic levels.
Scope of Work
Projects should investigate impacts of OAE on valued species and have relevance to societal decision making for scaling OAE R&D in the next few years. The identification of local priorities may be included as part of the project scope and budget. Projects incorporating inclusive and co-design approaches and partnership with non-academic communities is encouraged(e.g., Indigenous communities, community leaders, fishing and aquaculture industry).
Projects must adhere to the following requirements:
Target species must have significant commercial and/or cultural value. Target species, communities, and life stages may inhabit any part of the water column in nearshore and/or offshore habitats. While species with commercial and cultural value is a priority, species of high ecological value, such as keystone species, may also be considered.
Experimental research must be hypothesis-driven and target biological, ecological, and/or life history responses and/or processes. Hypotheses must be rooted in scientific knowledge and be applicable to real-world OAE operations. Investigations may include, but are not limited, to physiological processes, performance curves, ecological and/or life history processes and interactions, and biological co-benefits (i.e., mitigation of demonstrated biological or ecological harm of ocean acidification). Projects may include energetics or ecosystem modeling or parameterization as an additional component, if relevant.
Any OAE feedstock is eligible for testing (e.g., NaOH, MgO, CaO, olivine, other particulate sources) so long as the feedstock is relevant to approaches currently under development. Experiments must prioritize investigations of changes in carbonate chemistry caused by OAE, with secondary consideration of feedstock-specific interactions (e.g., impact of trace elements, particles).
Experiment treatments must include, but do not need to be limited to, exposures applicable to real-world deployment strategies that may be achievable over the next 5 to 10 years and the alkalinity changes that they are anticipated to achieve. For example, ocean alkalinity may change by a few hundred ?mol kg?1 at most on a regional scale, and higher, shorter exposures may be relevant at local scales. This includes experimental designs that test short-term exposures, long-term exposures, recovery effects, among others.
Projects should align with best practices in the OAE and mCDR field. Examples include:
Aspen Institute’s Code of Conduct for mCDR Research
AGU’s Ethical Framework for Climate Intervention
Carbon to Sea’s OAE Data Management Protocol
State of the Planet’s Guide to Best Practices in Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Research
United Nations’ Free, Prior and Informed Consent Manual
National Wildlife Federations’s Informing mCDR Projects: Best Practices Guidance for Tribal and Indigenous Engagement
University of Delaware’s Developing Best Practices for Community Engagement in Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) Research
Out of Scope:
Experiments focused only on phytoplankton
Standard toxicity tests
Required Deliverables
Open-access publication(s) of the study findings.
Open-access publication of the data, within 6 months of data
collection. Data management must follow guidelines of the OAE Guide to Best
Practices (Jiang
et al., 2023) and Carbon To Sea’s OAE Data Management
Protocol.
Budget
The budget is capped at 300,000 US Dollars per project,
including indirect costs (up to 5%). The budget may be used for personnel,
research and travel expenses, and community engagement activities, including
compensation for non-academic partners.
Team Criteria
The principal investigator must have a PhD and be affiliated with an academic research institution, anywhere in the world.
Non-academic partners are encouraged but not required. Non-academic partners should be compensated and acknowledged on research products as appropriate to the engagement.
Collaboration with OAE companies is permitted, but not required. Project funds cannot be used to support commercial OAE company personnel or activities.
Application Process
Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF to info@carbontosea.org by 16 January 2026 at 23:59 Eastern Time, using the Proposal Template provided here. The proposals will undergo scientific peer-review and Carbon to Sea and PA2F will jointly make the final award decision on both awards.
Timeline
3 November 2025: Submissions open
16 January 2026: Submission deadline
February 2026: Scientific peer-review
1 March 2026: Award decision
1 May 2026: Project
Start Date
Co-Sponsor
