Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
The Thwaites Glacier, nicknamed the “Doomsday Glacier,” could cause sea levels to rise by 10 feet if it melts, endangering millions in coastal cities like New York and Miami, scientists warn.
To slow the glacier’s melt, scientists propose extreme geoengineering measures: installing underwater curtains, thickening ice with seawater, or cooling bedrock to stop warm currents from speeding up ice loss.
John Moore of Lapland University suggests a 62-mile-long underwater “curtain” anchored in the Amundsen Sea to block warm currents from eroding the glacier. This massive project could cost up to $50 billion.
Princeton’s Michael Wolovick proposes drilling tunnels in the bedrock beneath the glacier to pump cold water, reducing frictional melting from glacier movement. However, risks to local ecosystems remain untested.
Another plan suggests pumping seawater onto the glacier’s surface to freeze it, thickening the ice. But, as the University of Chicago’s report notes, this approach risks weakening the glacier's structural integrity.
Deploying any of these solutions on a large scale could cost billions annually, with energy demands and environmental impacts requiring careful analysis, say scientists at the Climate Systems Engineering Initiative.
Recent studies using satellite imagery show warm tidal currents accelerating Thwaites’ melt. “We need urgent intervention to avoid catastrophe,” says geophysical sciences professor Douglas MacAyeal.
Researchers argue immediate action is necessary, as understanding these interventions will take decades. "We must act before it’s too late," MacAyeal warns in the July white paper.
Scientists classify Thwaites as a “tipping point” for global sea levels. Christine Dow from the University of Waterloo cautions that this melting could occur “much faster” than previously thought, raising alarm globally.