Controversial Arctic Refreezing Plan Shows Promise, but Risks Remain
In the frigid Canadian Arctic, scientists and entrepreneurs are braving extreme cold to carry out an ambitious experiment that could reshape the future of our planet’s ice caps. The team from the UK-based startup Real Ice is conducting tests in the remote village of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, to explore how they might restore and thicken Arctic sea ice.
The bold plan aims to revitalize over 386,000 square miles of Arctic sea ice, an area larger than California, to slow the ongoing summer ice loss and help combat the human-driven climate crisis. This geoengineering project is just one of many proposals designed to protect the planet’s fragile polar regions, from installing underwater barriers to scattering tiny glass beads to reflect sunlight away from the Earth. However, many experts have criticized the approach, arguing that it is unproven, risky, and diverts attention from addressing the root cause of climate change—our dependence on fossil fuels.
The Arctic has experienced significant ice loss in recent decades, with the amount of thick, multi-year ice shrinking by 95% since the mid-1980s. Experts warn that by the 2030s, the Arctic could see its first ice-free summer. The loss of sea ice poses a global threat, as it reflects sunlight, cooling the Earth, while the dark ocean beneath absorbs heat, accelerating global warming in a dangerous feedback loop.
Real Ice’s approach involves using submersible, electric-powered pumps to bring seawater from beneath the ice to the surface, where it freezes, adding a layer of new ice. By removing snow from the ice’s surface, they trigger additional growth beneath the ice, which thickens the ice further. The process has already shown promising results in field tests conducted over the past two years in Alaska and Canada, with an average increase of 20 inches in ice thickness over several months in Cambridge Bay.
While the project is still in its early stages, with further testing planned for the coming years, initial results have been encouraging. Co-CEO Andrea Ceccolini and his team believe that scaling up this technology could provide a much-needed solution to the shrinking ice caps, with the long-term goal of using underwater drones powered by green hydrogen to automate the process.
Real Ice estimates the cost of this operation at $5 billion to $6 billion annually to cover the vast area of the Arctic. The company is self-funded but envisions eventual support from global funds or governments, as well as a potential revenue stream from selling “cooling credits” to corporations looking to offset their emissions.
Despite the optimism, many scientists remain skeptical about the long-term viability of this plan. Critics argue that while it may increase ice thickness in localized areas, it is unlikely to significantly alter the larger climate crisis. The scalability of the project is also questioned, with some experts warning of unintended environmental consequences due to the unprecedented level of human interference in the Arctic ecosystem.
Real Ice acknowledges that the project could have ecological impacts, such as changes in algae growth, but maintains that the long-term benefits of stabilizing the Arctic ice outweigh the risks. According to Ceccolini, “The problem is there is a much more dramatic impact in just letting things go on like this.”
As the world grapples with the escalating climate crisis, projects like Real Ice’s offer a glimpse into the bold, unconventional strategies that might be needed to preserve critical ecosystems. However, whether this plan can be scaled effectively without causing significant harm to the environment remains to be seen. The coming years will be crucial in determining if these pioneering efforts can help secure a cooler, more stable future for the Arctic and the planet as a whole.
