Geoengineering the Poles: A Critical Look at High-Risk, Low-Reward Climate Interventions
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Environment & Ecology (Climate Change, Geoengineering concepts like Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, Ocean Fertilisation; Pollution).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 3 (Environment & S&T): Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment; Climate Change; Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. The ethics, feasibility, and risks of geoengineering are a potential Mains topic.
Essay: Topics on Climate Change, Technology, and Ethics.
Key Highlights from the News
A new study suggests that five major geoengineering concepts aimed at polar regions, proposed to combat climate change, are impractical, dangerous, and likely to cause significant environmental damage.
5 Criticized Methods:
Injecting aerosols into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight (Stratospheric aerosol injection - SAI).
Building underwater walls to prevent warm water from reaching ice sheets (Sea curtains).
Spreading glass microbeads over sea ice to increase reflectivity.
Pumping out water from beneath glaciers to slow their flow (Basal water removal).
Adding nutrients like iron to the ocean to grow CO2-absorbing plankton (Ocean fertilisation).
All these methods pose significant technical, economic, and environmental challenges. They could also lead to unexpected consequences like "Termination shock" (the impact of sudden cessation).
The article strongly argues that instead of dangerous shortcuts like geoengineering, the world should focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions (decarbonisation).
COMMENTS