Can sci-fi solutions solve CO2 dilemmas

Soon, there may be actual scientific solutions to reverse the effects of climate change that do not include reducing CO2 emissions if an UK science organization can gain support for some outlandish and very Sci-fi like ideas.

According to the Royal Society a Plan B may have to be used if CO2 levels are not reduced soon. The plans include large giant mirrors that could be placed in space in order to cool the planet. They also include placing large reflectors over the desert which would help to prevent to the sun’s rays from reaching the earth in full power.

In fact, solutions go even farther into the technological age including a mirror that could be built on top of the moon or ships and shuttles that could let loose clouds that would help to keep the sun’s rays out.

Although these ideas may work, as simple as they may sound, the Royal Society cautioned that they may not work since they have not yet been proven and may even be dangerous albeit very expensive. Not to mention the semantics of getting a large mirror to the moon in one piece.

Chair of the Royal Society study, John Shepherd, said that if CO2 emissions are not brought under control the future will either hold drastic consequences of climate change or require geo-engineering solutions in order to prevent temperatures from rising even more.

According to the report issued by the Royal Society, there are two possible solutions to the problem, the use of geo-engineering solutions that keep the sun’s energy away from the earth so that temps cool down or removing CO2 from the atmosphere so that it is less destructive.

Although the report states that removing CO2 emissions would be the best way to precede using technology to fight climate change, there are not yet any techniques that work effectively or are at a low enough cost to be considered practical.

Shepherd said in overall none of the proposed techniques are the answer or ‘magic bullet’ and that many have risks. Instead, they promoted that the UN or another international body develop treaties among nations to decide where global risks and the responsibility lies in addressing in.