The temperatures are rising, the sea-levels are rising, carbon-emissions are rising. The world’s doom story has been often a source of over a zillion research papers that have looked into practically every single way of saving the planet from doomsday! But then again how pressing have these issues been for a serious look? Not very, because apart from the conferences where all the drama happens, the real world seems largely unaffected.

The first and foremost issue that the IPCC, a huge body on climate change wants to direct it’s efforts on in the near future is earth-cooling. To reduce the every increasing temperature on the earths biosphere, thereby the stratosphere and hence global warming.

Reducing carbon emissions would’ve been the best bet. But what’s the use of telling a heart patient on the surgery bed about the good effects of salads and exercise? When it’s the time for a surgery, it’s got to be done by hook or crook. It’s an analogy I use to drive my point on the carbon emissions and global warming. Scientists feel it’s the time for that surgery now. Or will be in the next ten years. So what are the most likely drastic solutions to global warming? Listed here are 4 of the conclusions drawn at the recent IPCC conference.

1. Cloud seeding

The furry White clouds when thick and White reflect a major amount of the sun’s light and thereby the solar radiation. By increasing the cloud cover over the oceans the amount of heat absorbed by the ocean can be greatly reduced. The idea is to float yachts that spin off sea water and promote the making of clouds. By commissioning several hundreds of these unmanned radio managed yachts, cloud cover over oceans could be increased. Then we allow the clouds to work their magic and reflect off the sun’s rays. Climate implications could be plenty too. Though it’s the most inexpensive idea, the wrath of storms, could be a very serious issue.

2. Sulphur dioxide emission

This strategy looks to mimic nature. Volcanoes emit huge amounts of sulphur dioxide upon eruption. This sulphur dioxide forms a base in the atmosphere that further reduces the Co2 levels in the atmosphere and hence the heat levels that result from Co2 levels reduces. But the very idea of increasing emissions to counter emissions seems scary!

3. Phytoplankton growth in the sea

Phytoplankton is a plant specie that absorbs Co2 and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. By far it seems the sanest. But it’s effect on the biodiversity of the sea is both questionable and adverse. Fishes that feed on this plankton will most likely die. As have been seen in the experiments, nor will plant life thrive around these planktons. Some scientists argue that it can be used in the desert parts of the ocean. But still the ocean is seamless and it’s effects can really be far-reaching.

4. Mirrors in space

The final strategy discussed was the idea of installing mirrors in space. The mirrors that cover about 1600000sqkm will deflect 1% of the sun’s light. These mirrors can rotate around the earth like it’s many artificial satellites and can be controlled from the planet base. An idea that doesn’t seen to affect the Earths biodiversity very directly. It is the most expensive though, with investments doled out to be between 1 trillion to 10 trillion.

So my question is what do you think will be the most apt solution? Which of the above four wins your vote?