Marine Carbon Capture and Storage for Sustainable Climate Mitigation

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Marine Carbon Capture and Storage for Sustainable Climate Mitigation” will explore the emerging role of ocean-based carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies in advancing global sustainability and climate resilience. As anthropogenic CO₂ emissions continue to exceed 37 gigatons annually, marine carbon capture and storage (MCCS) presents a promising pathway to support SDG 13 (Climate Action) by leveraging the vast capacity of marine systems for long-term carbon sequestration in alignment with Net-Zero Emissions targets by 2050.

Marine-based approaches—including offshore carbon capture, subsea geological storage, ocean alkalinity enhancement, blue carbon ecosystems, and direct ocean capture—offer unique opportunities to complement terrestrial CCUS while minimizing land-use pressures. These technologies directly contribute to SDG 14 (Life Below Water) by promoting responsible ocean stewardship, ecosystem protection, and sustainable use of marine resources. Furthermore, advances in offshore infrastructure, marine engineering, and monitoring systems align with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by integrating MCCS with offshore renewable energy systems such as wind, wave, and tidal power.

Life cycle assessment, environmental risk evaluation, and carbon accounting are essential to ensuring the sustainability and ecological safety of marine sequestration pathways. When responsibly implemented, MCCS can enhance climate mitigation efforts while supporting SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through circular carbon management and resource efficiency. In addition, policy frameworks, governance mechanisms, and techno-economic analyses are critical for scaling marine carbon solutions in a socially equitable and environmentally sound manner.

In this Special Issue, we aim to showcase interdisciplinary research that bridges ocean science, engineering, environmental sustainability, and climate policy. We invite the submission of high-quality, state-of-the-art research articles, reviews, and case studies that advance the understanding and deployment of sustainable marine carbon capture and storage solutions.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Marine and offshore carbon capture technologies;
• Subsea and offshore geological CO₂ storage;
• Direct ocean capture and carbon removal;
• Ocean alkalinity enhancement and marine mineralization;
• Blue carbon ecosystems and nature-based solutions;
• Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint analysis of MCCS;
• Environmental impact, risk assessment, and monitoring of marine storage;
• Integration of MCCS with offshore renewable energy systems;
• CO₂ transportation and offshore infrastructure;
• Ship design and operations;
• Policy, governance, and regulatory frameworks for marine CCS;
• Circular economy approaches and Sustainable Development Goals.

We seek to advance sustainable marine-based climate solutions that will contribute to long-term ecological balance, ocean health, and global decarbonization efforts.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. George Mallouppas
Dr. Ashok Kumar Swaminathan
Dr. Elias Yfantis
Dr. Nikolaos P. Ventikos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• marine carbon capture
• marine mineralization
• blue carbon ecosystems
• Life cycle assessment
• CO₂ transportation
• offshore infrastructure
• sustainable development