When I wrote about ocean seeding last month I had no idea that a renegade group of scientists were about to try and break the U.N.'s moratorium on the practice. These scientists, representing 8 countries, set sail on research vessel the Polarstern from Cape Town on January 7, 2009 with 20 tons of iron sulphate on board. 

Their destination was a stormy section of the southwest Atlantic where they would dump their cargo in order to produce a phytoplankton bloom.  If all went according to their projections the phytoplankton would absorb large amounts of CO2 and then sink to the bottom of the ocean. The projects name was LOHAFEX, which comes from the Hindi word LOHA for iron and Fertilization EXperiment. 

But not so fast! [Cue dramatic music] On January 14, 2009 the German science ministry suspended the geo-engineering experiment.  The ministry asked that the German research institute behind the project commission a study to look at its environmental impact. 

The LOHAFEX scientists were originally able to proceed with their research because they found a loophole in the moratorium, namely, another ordinance that gave them permission to proceed. 

According to German publication Innovations Report  "The scientific experiment is in accordance with the resolution of the London Convention on the regulation of ocean fertilization from October 2008 and the Decision of the Convention on Biological Diversity on ocean fertilization from May 2008 that call for further research to enhance understanding of ocean iron fertilization."  However, amidst a sea of protest from environmental groups the experiment was halted - at least for the next few days.

The Polarstern should reach its destination within the week. Meanwhile, in the next ten days the institute hopes to provide an independent study of the experiment so they can proceed.  Stay tuned...

Related Reading:
Ocean Seeding: The Good, The Bad, The Moratorium
Monitoring the Oceans in Peril