July 2021 – June 2022

Project vesta: social science framework

Worldwide

Can enhanced coastal weathering be a game changer in efforts to reduce impacts of the climate crisis?

project vesta: social science framework

Overview

With the support of a network of expert academics and advisors, along with a highly experienced local team, Lestari is leading the development of the social science framework for an exciting coastal carbon capture project in the Caribbean.

Even if all global emission reduction targets were achieved, it is clear that carbon dioxide emissions reductions alone are not going to be sufficient to avert the worst impacts of the burgeoning climate crisis. In response, Project Vesta was founded on Earth Day 2019 to offer an innovative contribution to the global efforts for carbon capture, which supports emission reductions by actively removing carbon from the environment.
 
The project involves spreading a natural and abundant mineral, olivine, onto coastal areas. There, wave action speeds up the carbon dioxide capture process while de-acidifying the ocean. Project Vesta’s approach dramatically accelerates the carbonate-silicate cycle, an ancient natural process. Thirty years of scientific research has demonstrated that this works and has provided strong evidence that it is a highly affordable and scalable solution.
 
While a promising and exciting new science, it is essential that this natural climate solution is done in a way which both listens sensitively to local communities and ensures openness to their involvement in the process. Lestari is supporting Vesta by organizing social science research to gain an understanding of the local attitudes, perceptions and behaviours related to the project and the climate emergency. This includes designing baseline surveys and exploratory qualitative research and helping to develop an education and outreach programme to support the communities involved.