Real Ice plans to refreeze Arctic Sea

UK-based company Real Ice has an ambitious plan to combat global warming: refreezing the Arctic Sea. 

Specifically, it plans to pump ocean water on top of ice caps to help them grow thicker. 

The firm believes this drastic measure is necessary to maintain global temperatures and prevent devastating long-term weather effects. 

How will Real Ice refreeze the Arctic?

The company broke down its audacious objective as follows:

1. Install renewable energy generators near the Arctic Sea to charge hydrogen fuel cells. 
2. Then, place the fuel in water pumping systems and then send them to the ice caps with underwater drones. 
3. Install the pumps so that one end links to the ocean and the other sticks out of the surface.
4. At the beginning of winter, it will pump water to create an extra ice layer for the ice caps.
5. At the end of winter, the pumps will shoot more water. The falling water droplets will turn into snow, protecting the caps against hotter months. 

The firm’s official website says a team of engineers and climate scientists planned this unique project.

READ: Arctic ice may release methane soon

It likewise emphasized the importance of its project, stating: “We are on a mission to prove and scale new methods of restoring and preserving Arctic sea ice using renewable energy.” 

Real Ice said the frigid region is “Earth’s Refrigerator” as it provides a worldwide cooling effect. 

Unfortunately, global warming melts the Arctic faster, which may trigger a Blue Ocean Event.

It’s a catastrophic tipping point that will result in rapid warming and expansion of the oceans.

Eventually, this phenomenon could slow cold water currents, promote ocean acidification, increase violent storms, and raise flooding in coastal cities. 

Real Ice said refreezing Arctic sea ice could give “humanity more time to adapt to and mitigate and against climate change.”

READ: As Arctic climate warms, even Santa runs short of snow

However, experts are skeptical about Real Ice project’s impact. 

Julienne Stroeve, professor of polar observation and modeling at University College London, told The Guardian it may not be enough to have a significant effect.

“The only real solution is to either pull carbon out of the air or cut our emissions to half of what they currently are,” she added.