Inside the Extreme Plan to Refreeze the Arctic | WSJ Future of Everything

Summary

Researchers within the Arctic Circle are employing innovative geoengineering techniques to combat the rapid melting of sea ice, a critical factor in global warming. Methods include using underwater drones and glass beads to reflect sunlight, aiming to slow the melt and reduce the planet's heat absorption. A Dutch start-up is testing ice thickening, inspired by Dutch ice masters and Canadian ice road construction, to potentially regrow ice and mitigate climate change's impacts. However, the project faces challenges such as powering the pumps and the high costs of scaling up these efforts, while critics warn of unintended consequences on weather patterns.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Researchers are in the Arctic Circle exploring geoengineering solutions to combat the decline of sea ice, a critical challenge for global warming.
• 🧊 The Arctic sea ice, which covers about 6.2 million square miles in late winter, is shrinking at a rate of around 13% per decade, posing a significant threat to the planet's climate.
• ☀️ Sea ice is vital as it reflects sunlight back into space, and its reduction leads to increased heat absorption by the Earth, exacerbating global warming.
• 🏔️ A Dutch start-up is attempting to mitigate ice melt by using techniques inspired by Dutch ice masters who thicken ice for ice skating marathons.
• 🔬 The team's first field test in Svalbard involves scientists from two universities experimenting with ice thickening methods to halt the decline of sea ice.
• ❄️ In Canada, similar methods are used to create ice roads by freezing pumped water, demonstrating the potential for these techniques to be applied on a larger scale.
• 🔋 The challenge of powering the pumps used in the ice thickening process is being addressed, with a goal to use renewable energy in the future.
• 💧 The experiment involves pumping over 900 gallons of water per minute to thicken the ice, covering an area equivalent to two football fields.
• 🌐 Other innovative approaches include using underwater drones to pump water onto the ice and spreading reflective glass microbeads to reduce melting by reflecting sunlight.
• 💲 Scaling up these projects requires significant investment, with estimates suggesting a cost of $500 billion, but the economic losses from not addressing Arctic thawing could reach $130 trillion over three centuries.
• ⚠️ Critics warn of the potential unintended consequences of geoengineering, such as disrupting weather patterns, and emphasize the need for global cooperation and carbon capture solutions.

Q & A

What is the primary challenge being addressed by the researchers in the Arctic Circle?

The primary challenge being addressed is the decline of sea ice, which is contributing to global warming.

What are some of the methods being used to slow the melting of sea ice?

Methods include using underwater drones and spreading reflective glass microbeads on the ice surface to reflect sunlight away from the ice.

What is the significance of sea ice in regulating the Earth's temperature?

Sea ice reflects sunlight back into space, helping to keep the planet cooler. As it melts, the Earth absorbs more heat, accelerating global warming.

How much has the Arctic sea ice been shrinking, and what are the potential consequences?

The ice has been shrinking at a rate of around 13% per decade, which could lead to catastrophic consequences for the world.

What is the estimated warming impact if the Arctic sea ice were to completely disappear in summer?

The complete disappearance would have the same warming impact as one trillion tons of carbon dioxide, more than double America's historic emissions.

What is the Dutch start-up's approach to slowing the melt of Arctic sea ice?

The Dutch start-up is attempting to slow the melt by geo-engineering the Arctic, inspired by the ice thickening methods used in ice rinks for ice skating marathons.

How do the ice masters in the Netherlands contribute to the team's project?

The ice masters' methods of putting thin layers of water on top of the ice to make it freeze faster are being experimented with by the team.

What is the purpose of drilling and taking ice core samples in the Arctic?

Drilling and taking ice core samples allows the team to understand the salinity, temperature, and density of the ice, which is crucial for their experiments.

How does the salinity of the ice affect the freezing process?

When saltwater freezes, it creates small crystals that form into bigger ice chunks over time. The salt is expelled back into the water below, affecting the ice's freezing point.

What is the challenge in powering the pumps used in the ice thickening process?

The challenge is finding a renewable energy source to power the pumps, as using diesel is ironic given its contribution to ice thinning and loss.

What are some of the potential unintended consequences of geo-engineering the Arctic?

There could be knock-on consequences on weather patterns due to changes in the temperature difference between the pole and the equator.

What is the estimated cost of scaling up similar projects, and how does it compare to the potential economic losses due to a thawing Arctic?

The cost of scaling up similar projects is estimated at $500 billion, compared to potential economic losses of up to $130 trillion over the next three centuries due to climate change.