An idea to save the planet!!
letter to Nature
SIR — We propose a way to stimulate
the Earth’s capacity to cure itself, as an
emergency treatment for the pathology of global warming.
Measurements of the climate system show
that the Earth is fast becoming a hotter planet
than anything yet experienced by humans.
Processes that would normally regulate
climate are being driven to amplify warming.
Such feedbacks, as well as the inertia of the
Earth system — and that of our response —
make it doubtful that any of the wellintentioned
technical or social schemes for
carbon dieting will restore the status quo.
What is needed is a fundamental cure.
The oceans, which cover more than 70% of
the Earth’s surface, are a promising place to
seek a regulating influence. One approach
would be to use free-floating or tethered
vertical pipes to increase the mixing of
nutrient-rich waters below the thermocline
with the relatively barren waters at the ocean
surface. (We acknowledge advice from
Armand Neukermans on engineering aspects
of the pipes.) Water pumped up pipes — say,
100 to 200 metres long, 10 metres in diameter
and with a one-way flap valve at the lower
end for pumping by wave movement —
would fertilize algae in the surface waters and
encourage them to bloom. This would pump
down carbon dioxide and produce dimethyl
sulphide, the precursor of nuclei that form
sunlight-reflecting clouds.
Such an approach may fail, perhaps on
engineering or economic grounds. And
the impact on ocean acidification will need
to be taken into account.
But the stakes are so high that we put
forward the general concept of using the
Earth system’s own energy for amelioration.
The removal of 500 gigatonnes of carbon
dioxide from the air by human endeavour
is beyond our current technological
capability. If we can’t ‘heal the planet’
directly, we may be able to help the planet
heal itself. "
James E. Lovelock*, Chris G. Rapley†
*Green College, University of Oxford,
Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HG, UK
†Science Museum, Exhibition Road,
South Kensington, London SW7 2DD , UK
letter to Nature
"Ocean pipes could help the
Earth to cure itself
Earth to cure itself
SIR — We propose a way to stimulate
the Earth’s capacity to cure itself, as an
emergency treatment for the pathology of global warming.
Measurements of the climate system show
that the Earth is fast becoming a hotter planet
than anything yet experienced by humans.
Processes that would normally regulate
climate are being driven to amplify warming.
Such feedbacks, as well as the inertia of the
Earth system — and that of our response —
make it doubtful that any of the wellintentioned
technical or social schemes for
carbon dieting will restore the status quo.
What is needed is a fundamental cure.
The oceans, which cover more than 70% of
the Earth’s surface, are a promising place to
seek a regulating influence. One approach
would be to use free-floating or tethered
vertical pipes to increase the mixing of
nutrient-rich waters below the thermocline
with the relatively barren waters at the ocean
surface. (We acknowledge advice from
Armand Neukermans on engineering aspects
of the pipes.) Water pumped up pipes — say,
100 to 200 metres long, 10 metres in diameter
and with a one-way flap valve at the lower
end for pumping by wave movement —
would fertilize algae in the surface waters and
encourage them to bloom. This would pump
down carbon dioxide and produce dimethyl
sulphide, the precursor of nuclei that form
sunlight-reflecting clouds.
Such an approach may fail, perhaps on
engineering or economic grounds. And
the impact on ocean acidification will need
to be taken into account.
But the stakes are so high that we put
forward the general concept of using the
Earth system’s own energy for amelioration.
The removal of 500 gigatonnes of carbon
dioxide from the air by human endeavour
is beyond our current technological
capability. If we can’t ‘heal the planet’
directly, we may be able to help the planet
heal itself. "
James E. Lovelock*, Chris G. Rapley†
*Green College, University of Oxford,
Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HG, UK
†Science Museum, Exhibition Road,
South Kensington, London SW7 2DD , UK
What is Gaia and Who is James Lovelock?
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1:48 AM
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