Speaker: Dr. Alyssa Griffin, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, UC Davis

Title: Nature and Nurture: The role of marine sediments in nature-based and geoengineered climate solutions

Abstract: The world must limit Earth’s warming to 2°C to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change which can only be accomplished if global carbon emissions fall below zero (net negative emissions) by 2050. Reaching net negative emissions will require not only an aggressive reduction in carbon emissions but also gigaton-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Marine sediments are the ultimate sink of anthropogenic carbon emissions on geologic timescales and a fundamental control of atmospheric CO2, ocean chemistry, and in turn, Earth’s climate. Marine sediments are also inextricably linked to the efficacy of several proposed climate mitigation strategies. In this talk, I will discuss my ongoing research at the nexus of marine sediment biogeochemistry, Earth’s changing climate, and developing equitable climate solutions in the context of both nature-based and geoengineered marine carbon dioxide removal strategies. Additionally, I will highlight how studying marine sediments contributes to building coastal resiliency, co-developing mutually beneficial academic partnerships, and elevating the role of the earth science community in addressing the unfolding climate crisis.