Do we need more crazy ideas? Most scientists see geoengineering as a highly dangerous response to climate change. But others say desperate times demand desperate measures.
The 'insane' plan to save the frozen North
Do we need more crazy ideas? Most scientists see geoengineering as a highly dangerous response to climate change. But others say desperate times demand desperate measures.
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The team braving temperatures of -45C in the ArcticThe area in and around the north pole. are "quite insaneA state of mind that prevents normal behaviour." says Professor Julienne Stroeve, a climate scientist from the University of ColoradoA state in the west of the US that contains much of the Rocky Mountains. Boulder.
She is talking about a project to thicken floating Arctic sea ice enough to stop it melting, by drilling a hole and pumping 1,000 litres of water on to its surface.
The water freezes quickly, thickening the ice. But even the team leader says he is not sure the idea is a good one.
The project is a form of geoengineeringDeliberate attempts to intervene in the Earth's natural processes to counteract climate change on a large scale. . This means trying to change Earth's climate to compensateTo give someone something to make up for their loss of something else. for the damage done by humans.
Here are some of the other ideas now being explored:
Guarding glaciers Building underwater walls to protect glaciersA slowly moving mass of ice formed by snow building up on mountains. from warm water. However, protecting the Greenland ice sheet would require a wall 107m high and almost 5km long.
Paint power Scientists have come up with a new type of white paint which reflects 98.1% of sunlight, so that buildings wouldn't need air conditioning to stay cool in hot weather.
Fabricating forests A professor at ArizonaA state in the southwest USA with a population of more than 7 million. State University has designed a 10m-high "mechanical tree". The metal tree contains filters to take carbon out of the atmosphereThe layer of gases surrounding a planet or moon, held in place by that planet's gravity. Small planets and moons have weak gravitational fields, and therefore only a very thin atmosphere.. He hopes to create "tree farms" to capture as much as 1,000 tonnes of carbonCarbon is the fourth most common element in the universe. Other forms of carbon include graphite and diamond. a day.
Do we need more crazy ideas?
Yes! We have no choice. Global warming is increasing, extreme weather is becoming more frequent and governments are not doing nearly enough to fight it. We need radicalExtreme. solutions to make a difference.
No! Trying to tamperto make changes that you shouldn't be making with the environment in this way is incredibly dangerous and could make the situation much worse. Even the people suggesting these ideas are not sure that they will work.
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Arctic - The area in and around the north pole.
insane - A state of mind that prevents normal behaviour.
Colorado - A state in the west of the US that contains much of the Rocky Mountains.
Geoengineering - Deliberate attempts to intervene in the Earth's natural processes to counteract climate change on a large scale.
Compensate - To give someone something to make up for their loss of something else.
Glaciers - A slowly moving mass of ice formed by snow building up on mountains.
Arizona - A state in the southwest USA with a population of more than 7 million.
Atmosphere - The layer of gases surrounding a planet or moon, held in place by that planet's gravity. Small planets and moons have weak gravitational fields, and therefore only a very thin atmosphere.
Carbon - Carbon is the fourth most common element in the universe. Other forms of carbon include graphite and diamond.
Radical - Extreme.
tamper - to make changes that you shouldn't be making
The ‘insane’ plan to save the frozen North

Glossary
Arctic - The area in and around the north pole.
insane - A state of mind that prevents normal behaviour.
Colorado - A state in the west of the US that contains much of the Rocky Mountains.
Geoengineering - Deliberate attempts to intervene in the Earth's natural processes to counteract climate change on a large scale.
Compensate - To give someone something to make up for their loss of something else.
Glaciers - A slowly moving mass of ice formed by snow building up on mountains.
Arizona - A state in the southwest USA with a population of more than 7 million.
Atmosphere - The layer of gases surrounding a planet or moon, held in place by that planet's gravity. Small planets and moons have weak gravitational fields, and therefore only a very thin atmosphere.
Carbon - Carbon is the fourth most common element in the universe. Other forms of carbon include graphite and diamond.
Radical - Extreme.
tamper - to make changes that you shouldn't be making