Can the Sahara desert be terraformed?

In an effort to fight climate change, the Sahara Desert could be going green… literally. Plans are being made to terraform the entire Sahara desert; changing it from a dry, barren landscape to a lush green space. If successful, the transformation could remove 7.6 billion tons of atmospheric carbon yearly.

Is terraforming deserts possible?

Geoengineering, essentially terraforming on Earth, has been floated as a cure for global warming a number of times over the past year, but now some scientists have published a plan to transform a part of the Sahara desert into a lush forest, and in the process, absorb enough carbon to offset the world’s current fossil …

Is it possible to irrigate the Sahara?

Although no one knows how much water is beneath the Sahara, hydrologists estimate that it will only be economical to pump water for fifty years or so. Sudan, Libya, Chad, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria are some of the other Saharan nations irrigating with fossil water, but the practice is not limited to Africa.

Can we reclaim the Sahara desert?

Farmers are reclaiming the desert, turning the barren wastelands of the Sahel region on the Sahara’s southern edge into green, productive farmland. Satellite images taken this year and 20 years ago show that the desert is in retreat thanks to a resurgence of trees. Wherever the trees grow, farming can resume.

What is under the Sahara desert?

Beneath the sands of the Sahara Desert scientists have discovered evidence of a prehistoric megalake. Formed some 250,000 years ago when the Nile River pushed through a low channel near Wadi Tushka, it flooded the eastern Sahara, creating a lake that at its highest level covered more than 42,000 square miles.

How do you turn a desert into fertile land?

The LNC technique, or Liquid NanoClay, is capable of transforming poor sandy soils into high-yielding arable land. Olesen has been enhancing the technology since 2005 and shows the results of his efforts.

Should we terraform the Sahara Desert?

But even if we could afford it, terraforming the Sahara Desert would come with its fair share of issues. As the region becomes wetter as a result of millions of new trees being planted, the risk of locust plagues increases. That’s right, locusts: the swarming pests best known for their biblical associations.

What would happen if the Sahara Desert was covered with trees?

Plus, they grow quickly and could be economically beneficial for the region. As the trees began to root and stabilize, the soil would be replenished with needed nutrients, rainfall amounts would increase, and the overall temperature of the Sahara would cool by 8°C (14.5°F).

How can we irrigate the Sahara Desert?

One idea is to plant crops and trees, and then pump desalinated water from the coast of the Sahara to irrigate them. To prevent evaporation, the water would be carried by underground pipes to reach the roots directly. The ideal things to plant would be eucalyptus trees since they’re hardy, and do well in hotter climates.

How much would it cost to terraform the Earth?

Terraforming an area this massive wouldn’t be easy, in fact, it would cost about $2 trillion a year, and unfortunately, the price tag would be just the beginning of our obstacles. What kind of environmental domino effect would this create?