Sea levels have risen between 21 and 24 centimeters worldwide since 1880. Although meltwater coming from Greenland and Antarctica has contributed significantly in recent decades, the majority of this surge is a result of water physically expanding as it heats.
The basic existence of low-lying countries is in jeopardy, as are coastal properties and the means of subsistence and lifestyles of coastal inhabitants. These threats stem from the sea level rise. Rising oceans allow damaging storms to travel deeper inland. Some sientists are starting to accept the idea that technical solutions like ice-thickening pumps and underwater curtains could delay the melting of polar ice, which is a major factor in the rise in sea levels.
There has previously been climate science. The potential and drawbacks of solar geoengineering plans, which is altering the environment to lessen the effect of solar radiation that warms the climate, have split experts for years. The most contentious techniques include misting particles into the stratosphere in an attempt to chill the planet by reflecting some of the sun’s energy back into space. These, according to supporters, might help buy time for the globe to decarbonize without experiencing the harshest effects of climate change. The others claim that this is a dangerous practice as well. The disagreements may turn heated. These fights are now encroaching on the ice.
Supporters of glacier geoengineering suggest that we need action to stop the melting of glaciers, otherwise there would be catastrophe by storms and lase in the sea levels. The others believe that it is impractical and ineffective, however the debate over this would get more and more fierce as the effects of global climate change intensifies. Anyway, it would not be surprising to see active attempts to be taken to stop melting glaciers.
A well-known proposal focuses on outlet glaciers, which are large frozen rivers that gradually move ice away from the landmass and toward the ocean’s warmer waters. Numerous have been picking up speed. For example, the Thwaites glacier in Antarctica has lost twice as much ice in the last 30 years, accounting for 4% of the 3.5mm yearly sea level rise worldwide. Glaciologists fear that if it collapses in the future, global sea levels might rise by 65 cm. The “grounding line,” where the ice attaches itself to the bedrock for stability, is being eroded by warm water seeping through the maritime border of the ice. Therefore, some are suggesting that massive underwater curtains be put in place to block warmer currents from getting near the border of the ice.
Drilling boreholes through vertical kilometers of ice to drain water from the base of the ice sheets is another well-liked concept. The idea is simple: when a large amount of ice is placed on top of a bed of rock, the pressure and temperature buildup at the interface liquefies a thin layer of water, facilitating the ice’s removal. Eliminating this lubricant ought to aid in maintaining the ice’s position.
Source: Econmomist
