Zany ideas to slow polar melting are gathering momentum

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Unconventional technological solutions like underwater curtains and ice-thickening pumps are being considered to mitigate the melting of polar ice caps, which significantly contributes to global sea level rise

🔭 The context: Since 1880, global sea levels have risen between 21cm and 24cm, largely due to the thermal expansion of warming water, with recent decades seeing significant contributions from the meltwater of Greenland and Antarctica
• These rising sea levels threaten coastal communities and increase the reach of destructive storms

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Addressing the acceleration of ice melt is crucial to protecting coastal ecosystems, infrastructure, and human settlements from the adverse impacts of climate change

⏭️ What's next: The feasibility and risks of deploying these geoengineering solutions need thorough investigation to determine their potential in effectively slowing polar ice melt without unintended consequences

💬 One quote: "Giant curtains to keep warm water away from glaciers strike some as too risky."

📈 One stat: Globally, sea levels have risen by somewhere between 21cm and 24cm since 1880

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