Before an irreversible tipping point in climate change occurs, Global Warming must be reversed. As a result, a proactive project timeline for implementation is required. The longer we delay, the more difficult it will be.
Implementation requires national and international cooperation through policy agreements. Four key areas are:
1a: Land competition with food production. Solution: National and international policies governing the use of land for biomass production. Priority must always be given to domestic food production.
1b: Competition for land with other habitats/ecosystems. Solution: Plantations must be located sensitively and, wherever possible, support existing habitats.
1c: Pressure on old-growth/native forests to provide timber. Solution: An internationally agreed-upon system for determining the provenance of timber.
2) Biomass transportation
2a: Plantations may be located away from seaports. Solution: Where possible, planning policies to enable plantations to be located near existing infrastructure or rivers
2b: New roads or railways may be required. Solution: Collaborate with local and regional governments and communities to ensure that any new infrastructure provides genuine benefits to local communities.
2c: Timber transport by water may interfere with other river users. Solution: Reinforcing existing Boating Right-of-Way policies for biomass transportation.
3) Biomass chipping and composite iceberg formation
3a: New chipping plants with sufficient capacity. Solution: Create facilities that are operationally efficient and have environmentally friendly energy sources.
3b: Extreme southern ecosystems are fragile, with rare and endemic wildlife. Solution: Minimise potential pollution from shipping and iceberg production.
3c: Noise and light from equipment may disturb land and sea animals. Solution: Special ships for iceberg formation and placement.
4) Location of composite icebergs around Antarctic
4a: Identify locations that cause the least amount of disruption to wildlife. Solution: Research all available data on Antarctic wildlife, as well as monitor wildlife and the impact of iceberg placements.
4b: Determining locations that are acceptable to all nations. Solution: The UN should facilitate open and constructive discussions to ensure that all nations are treated fairly.
4c: If icebergs break free, they might pose a risk to shipping. Solution: Form icebergs with interlocking shapes through additive manufacturing.
