Experts propose a solution to spray gas into the upper atmosphere above Cape Town, forming a cloud to block sunlight.
Cape Town is in danger of running out of water due to drought. Photo: Sun.
Researchers at the University of Cape Town, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) propose a plan to block the sun to prevent drought, Sun today 25 /11 reported. The new study is published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
The team of scientists hope this plan will significantly reduce the risk of a water crisis hitting Cape Town. Concerns about Day Zero, a time when the city ran out of water, persisted for years. Cape Town came closest to Day Zero in 2017, when a severe drought brought water levels in the city’s dams below the 13% threshold.
With the climate crisis deepening, the likelihood of a drought leading to Day Zero will triple by 2100, the team says. They propose to spray sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas particles into the upper atmosphere of Cape Town. SO2 gas will form a large cloud above the city, reflecting sunlight, darkening the space below.
This plan could reduce the risk of a Day Zero drought by 2100 in Cape Town by 90%, the team said. However, they also emphasize, this should not be seen as an alternative to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The plan caused controversy over its effects on climate and geopolitics. In the past, many scientists have criticized the idea of spewing gases into the atmosphere to mitigate the effects of global warming. They argue that this could be a dangerous intervention to the climate system.