ASMASYS

Unified Assessment Framework for marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR)

The ASMASYS project is developing a comprehensive, transdisciplinary assessment framework for marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) options. In Phase I of the CDRmare research mission (2021–2024), the framework for evaluating individual mCDR options and concrete implementation scenarios was established. The framework organizes a variety of criteria and indicators into seven dimensions: 

• techno-environmental feasibility
• political feasibility
• legal feasibility 
• effectiveness
• efficiency
• equity and
• environmental ethics 

In contrast to existing frameworks for assessing climate response options, the ASMASYS framework is the first to systematically distinguish between the feasibility and desirability domains of assessment. Both what is feasible and what is desirable in response to climate change are important questions — but they are conceptually different: Feasibility concerns what can be done, desirability concerns what would be good or bad (or better or worse) to do. This distinction is a familiar one, yet substantial parts of the existing assessment literature do not clearly differentiate between the two. By contrast, the explicit inclusion of desirability in the ASMASYS-framework enables a transparent and consistent integration of issues of justice, governance, societal and environmental impacts.

In Phase II of the ASMASYS project (2024–2027), the framework will be expanded and applied to assess mCDR implementation scenarios in Germany, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Specifically, in Phase II, the ASMASYS-team will

• Develop diverse mCDR implementation scenarios.
• Enhance and refine the existing assessment framework.
• Utilize the refined assessment framework to evaluate the developed mCDR-implementation scenarios.
• Foster collaboration within the Social Sciences and Humanities Hub to address cross-methodological issues related to mCDR scenarios.

All tasks will include workshops that involve all CDRmare consortia, ensuring that the evaluation process synthesizes the diverse research results generated across the research mission CDRmare. Additionally, ASMASYS will collaborate with other national and international research initiatives, enriching the evaluation process through a bidirectional knowledge exchange and broadening the scope of the assessment.

ASMASYS places a strong emphasis on non-natural science aspects, including legal, social, and ethical considerations, alongside political framing and policy mechanisms. By analyzing current gaps in the evaluation chain, the project aims to ensure that the framework addresses critical issues related to the careful consideration of demonstration projects, which are essential for informed decision-making regarding potential technical applications.
Sustainability remains a core consideration, with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inspiring the development of the assessment criteria. These goals will be systematically applied within the framework to ensure the evaluation captures the broader sustainability and societal impact of mCDR options.

Engaging relevant stakeholders in ASMASYS is crucial to ensuring that the evaluation framework is context-specific and encompasses a holistic perspective on marine carbon removal. To this end, the framework was developed with input from a range of transdisciplinary stakeholders, including members of NGOs and representatives from various national government agencies. In Phase II, ASMASYS’s participatory approach will help define relevant assessment criteria and ensure that research results are communicated effectively. This approach will also facilitate a thorough examination of selected mCDR scenarios, promoting interdisciplinary evaluations that incorporate both scientific and non-scientific expertise. In doing so, ASMASYS aims to further refine a scientifically robust and socially relevant evaluation framework for marine CDR methods, supporting informed decision-making for the national net-zero strategy of Germany.