Global warming has long been a controversial topic, but recent studies have shown that the earth’s temperature is indeed increasing, which has dire implications about the future of our planet. The causes of global warming have not been pinpointed, but many believe that mankind’s increased fossil fuel and tree consumption has had a significant impact on the earth’s temperature. Though humans are extremely adaptable due to our ability to make cognitively based decisions about our evolutionary path, plants and other animals do not have the capacity to make conscious decisions to prevent extinction. It is up to us to stop any damage that global warming may cause to plant and animal life. Our survival as a species is dependent on the survival of plant and animal life.
Geoengineering is an early-stage movement within the science and engineering communities that aims to halt, or at least counteract, global warming. Supporters plan to do this through carefully planned, large scale manipulations to our environment. The desired effect of these manipulations is to prolong the existence of our species, as well as retain the highest possible amount of plant and animal life. There have been no implementations of any projects to combat global warming; however, many scientists and engineers are developing and proposing methods to help protect the earth from the threat of global warming.
One proposed project is “Solar Radiation Management”, and no, the project is not based on the “the Simpsons” episode where Mr. Burns blocks the sun, though some speculate that placing a shade in space may be beneficial to reducing sunlight. The project mainly focuses on reflecting sunlight that has reached the surface. Critics argue that the negative effects of sunlight reflection have not been properly examined. Others that support Solar Radiation Management suggest a method called “cloud seeding”, which would result in an increase in the surface coverage of clouds, as well as an increase in precipitation, both of which would likely contribute to a decrease in temperature.
One of the root causes of the increased temperature of the planet is the increase in the presence of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. Another geoengineering project suggests that by capturing or by naturally and artificially neutralizing these gases we may be able to effectively reduce their impact on the temperature of the earth. Though environmentalists have been encouraging the planting of trees to counteract deforestation for years, doing so may now be one of the most important solutions for the salvation of life on our planet.
The project called “Arctic Engineering” may also have a positive effect on the earth’s temperature. Because the polar regions of the planet are two of our best physical representations of the temperature of the planet, scientists believe that by counteracting Arctic ice loss we may be able to not only decrease the temperature of all ocean water, which would also decrease the planet’s overall temperature, but also increase the reflectivity of the earth’s surface. This would also contribute to the Solar Radiation Management project.
Though many of these projects are still in the works, geoengineers are working hard to get them fully developed and implemented before the impact of global warming causes extensive damage to our ecosystem. If we can successfully study and test both the positive and negative effects that geoengineering may have, and develop a reasonable compromise between the two, then we have the potential to stop the damaging effects of global warming.