Earth is the only known planet where mankind can live. Even on Venus and Mars, the planets in our solar system most similar to Earth, we could not survive a minute without a space suit or without being in an enclosed space with breathable air. But what are we doing to Earth? We are spoiling it and make it unliveable for our descendants by pumping greenhouse gases and pollutants into our atmosphere as if there is no tomorrow, thereby triggering global warming or climate change to the detriment of all of us.

 

Global warming (or climate change) is a serious matter we should all be very concerned about, since we will all be affected by it.

 

We know, that the greenhouse effect is mainly caused by creating excessive carbon dioxide and methane, which nature cannot all absorb any more. Some of the main causes for global warming or climate change are the population explosion on our planet, the 'wealth effect' in developed countries, industrialization in developing countries and with it the growing living standard for an increasing number of people, also by reducing large areas of forest for gaining arable land to feed the growing population.

 

There are still people who doubt the notion of global warming or climate change (and would rather do nothing instead of spending money for remedies) but would probably not take any responsibility for all the ensuing problems resulting later as consequence of inaction. And such problems would be huge and may be unsolvable by mankind when we wait too long! 

 

The long-time temperature trend is up and the line may not be straight but a curve getting increasingly steeper! Even if we experience one or more cooler years in between, be aware that this might be due to some temporary quirks in the global weather pattern or due to greater activity of volcano eruptions in certain years. Such cooler years are only slight dips in the trend. The old adage applies again: Better safe than sorry!   

 

This is a race against time! I believe that we may have only 10-20 years remaining till we get a runaway greenhouse effect, that is, then global warming or climate change cannot be controlled, let alone stopped, any more and may even accelerate! E.g. this could happen when melting of the Arctic icefield advances over the years (and thereby decrease sunlight reflection) the tundra defrosts (and in the process releases huge amounts of methane) and when the oceans cannot absorb any more carbon dioxide.

 

Until now there have been several useful concepts suggested and partly introduced for slowing global warming, like carbon trading, generating alternative energies (e.g. solar, wind and geothermal), more fuel-efficient cars, planting new trees etc. But do they get far and fast enough? Maybe not.

 

In the following I will suggest some more rough ideas in short form I think should be looked at for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, for slowing down and even stopping global warming within about twenty years or so. To be effective, they need further developing and – above all – implementing.
 

 

 

Every new building, be it an industrial building, an office or residential building, should require a minimum comprehensive energy rating. This would include passive energy savings like insulation and natural lighting (plus lighting with fibre optics from the outside), also active generation of electricity not only with solar panels. An even better concept could be solar and light-sensitive coatings on roofs, windows and other outer surfaces where feasible. These areas can then generate electricity, the excess (not consumed in the building) be fed into the power grid and sold to the supplier of electricity.
 

'Smart' window panes should be developed and used for buildings with inbuilt layers, trapping heat from sun radiation in winter and keeping it there. This process should be reversed in summer, namely blocking the heat from the sun from getting inside through the windows and improving radiation of heat through the glass to the outside.

 

 

Large areas on our planet have been deforested by businesses or local people, needing more land for cultivation, or using the wood for cooking meals. The locals should be paid for planting new trees on marginal land and for maintaining them. They can keep a small farm, if wanted, and even get free fertilizers, seed and tools for working the land and feeding their families. Every household should also get a free solar cooking pot, so that the people won’t need wood for fire during most days. The communities should get involved in the scheme.

 

 

 

I suggest to plant the most suitable trees, selected for different environments, preferably on marginal land. The trees must grow fast and big within about 20 years to their final size with the effect of absorbing several tons of carbon dioxide per tree during their growth period. They should also have a long life span for keeping carbon stored during this time before they die and release it again while rotting. Alternatively, the trees could be used for building structures, thereby also keeping carbon stored. Special genetically modified trees should be used if necessary.
 

Done effectively, an area of 1,000 square miles (or ~2500qkm) planted with such trees might be able to suck up the CO2 amount, generated by about 6 million cars, during their growth period!

  

Build thorium nuclear reactors

Nuclear reactors are very useful for generating electricity without emissions of CO2 as cause of global warming. However, they have several disadvantages, e.g. the threat of a meltdown or blowing up, as targets of terrorist attacks with resulting mayhem and also very long-term  radioactivity of their waste products. 

A better solution would be building nuclear reactors only with thorium as fuel in the future. They have a passive cooling system and are far safer (especially the molten-salt reactors) than uranium power stations. Also thorium is more abundant on our planet than uranium, less radioactive and can be far more fuel efficient. A further advantage of thorium as fuel is that it cannot be used for making nuclear bombs as with uranium (after being converted into plutonium) and leaves only relatively little radiactive waste after use as nuclear fuel!

Considering the above, I suggest that institutions are set up where the best nuclear scientists and engineers on our planet come together and develop the most cost-effective thorium reactors of different sizes, to be built in the most suitable locations later.

Since building nuclear reactors requires a lot of material and energy, scientist and engineers should also try to find out whether the structures of existing nuclear power stations can be reused and run with thorium after the uranium fuel is spent. This would save the energy and efforts involved with removing all the old reactors in the long term.
 

 

The greenhouse effect, causing global warming or climate change, is a  phenomenon which affects us all. Scientists and engineers of the main countries should work together for further developing and sharing new technology for cleaner coal and perhaps CO2 capture underground and for other methods to reduce greenhouse gases. E.g. countries that export coal should commit themselves for helping coal-importing countries with these concepts. Because of their high populations, particularly China and India are operating lots of coal-fired power stations (still rapidly increasing in numbers), whose pollution could probably be reduced considerably by this concept like in other countries.

 

 

 

Part of the sun radiation doesn’t reach the surface of the earth and therefore cannot warm it up but is reflected by clouds. (Also ice caps reflect sunlight well, but they are now receding.) So there is the question of how to increase the cloud cover to achieve a certain cooling effect in the daytime. I have thought about different ideas for effectively reflecting sun radiation and suggested some concepts for this on my web page 'Wild Ideas'. 

 

It’s a different situation at night. During nights the cloud cover should be decreased in order to enhance radiation of heat from earth into space. Some concepts for this and further possible solutions are included on my web page 'Wild Ideas', as well.