Daily News Analysis

White Paper on Glacial Geoengineering

stylish_lining

A recent white paper by scientists has introduced the concept of glacial geoengineering, which involves intentional modification of climate systems to mitigate the effects of glacier melting and sea level rise. This approach is part of a broader field known as geoengineering.

Glacial Geoengineering Strategies:

  • Ocean-Heat Transport Interventions:
  • Purpose: To prevent warm circumpolar deep water from reaching and melting ice shelves.
  • Method:
  • Sediment Berms: Constructing barriers made of sediment along the seabed in front of ice shelves to obstruct warm water flow.
  • Fibrous Curtains: Installing curtain-like structures on the seabed to block or deflect warm ocean currents that contribute to ice shelf melting.
  • Basal-Hydrology Interventions:
  • Purpose: To slow down the loss of ice by managing meltwater flow.
  • Method:
  • Drainage Channels: Drilling holes through glacier beds to create channels that redirect meltwater streams away from ice sheets, thereby slowing their movement and reducing ice sheet loss.

About Geoengineering:

Definition: Geoengineering refers to the deliberate and large-scale manipulation of Earth's climate systems to counteract the effects of anthropogenic global warming.

Categories of Geoengineering:

  • Solar Geoengineering / Solar Radiation Management (SRM):
  • Objective: To reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface, thus lowering global temperatures.
  • Strategies:
  • Aerosol Injection: Releasing aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight away from Earth.
  • Marine Cloud Brightening: Increasing the reflectivity of clouds over oceans by spraying sea water to enhance cloud droplet formation.
  • Albedo Improvement: Increasing the reflectivity of Earth’s surface, for example, by painting roofs white or using reflective materials in urban planning.
  • Ocean Mirror: Installing large-scale reflective materials on the ocean surface to reflect sunlight.
  • Carbon Geoengineering / Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR):
  • Objective: To reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations through various methods.
  • Strategies:
  • Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): Capturing CO2 emissions from industrial processes and storing them underground.
  • Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement: Adding alkaline substances to oceans to increase their capacity to absorb CO2.
  • Ocean Fertilization: Adding nutrients to oceans to stimulate phytoplankton growth, which absorbs CO2 during photosynthesis.

Key Considerations:

  • Effectiveness: The effectiveness of glacial geoengineering strategies in slowing ice melt and sea level rise needs to be thoroughly evaluated through research and modeling.
  • Environmental Impact: Potential environmental impacts must be carefully assessed to avoid unintended consequences on marine and glacial ecosystems.
  • Ethical and Governance Issues: The deployment of geoengineering technologies raises ethical questions and requires robust governance frameworks to ensure responsible implementation and to address global concerns.

Conclusion:

Glacial geoengineering represents an innovative approach to addressing the challenges posed by glacier melting and sea level rise. However, its practical application will require extensive research, careful consideration of environmental impacts, and international collaboration to develop and implement these strategies responsibly.

Understanding the Auditing of Local Bodies

Why is it in the News? The International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL) was recently inaugurated in Rajkot, Gujarat. This marks a significant step towards setting global standards for
Share It

Bavikonda Monastery: A Historical and Cultural Gem

Current Status Maintenance Issues: Due to recent budget constraints, maintenance and repairs at Bavikonda Monastery have been less than optimal. Tourism Circuit: Bavikonda is part of the '
Share It

CITES Report on Rosewood: “CITES Rosewoods: The Global Picture”

The recently released CITES report titled “CITES Rosewoods: The Global Picture” provides a comprehensive analysis of rosewood species listed under the Convention on International Trade in
Share It

Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

Recent Developments  India recently took part in the 86th session of the Executive Committee (CCEXEC) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) held in Rome. India’s Support: Sp
Share It

Naturally Existing DNA Editing Tool: Bridge Recombinase Mechanism (BRM)

The Bridge Recombinase Mechanism (BRM) is a newly discovered naturally occurring DNA editing tool. It utilizes mobile genetic elements, commonly known as "jumping genes," to perform DNA mani
Share It

The Delhi Urban Land and Immovable Property Records Bill, 2024

The Delhi Urban Land and Immovable Property Records Bill, 2024, aims to create a unified system for managing urban land and immovable property records in Delhi. This system will be overseen by the Del
Share It

Gig Economy and Recent Developments in Karnataka

Why in the News? The Karnataka government recently published the draft Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, which aims to address the welfare and rights of gig w
Share It

India-Japan Joint Carbon Crediting Mechanism

India and Japan are set to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to establish a Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) under the framework of Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. This mechanism will facilita
Share It

Green Revolution in maize

Context: India has seen significant success with the green revolution in maize production. This success has been primarily driven by the private sector. Over the past 20 years, maize production in Ind
Share It

Captain Supreetha C.T. – First Woman Officer from Corps of Army Air Defence at Siachen Glacier

Name: Captain Supreetha C.T. Hometown: Mysuru, Karnataka Achievement: Captain Supreetha C.T. has become the first woman officer from the Corps of Army Air Defence to be operationally deployed a
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS