Not sure if the /s was left off or this was a serious question.
In the case it was a serious question, the first issue that comes to mind is when you seed clouds for one region, what happens to the next region downwind where the clouds would have rained without intervention? You are just moving the drought, there will still be a difference in the rain pattern somewhere.
Seeding to generate more cloud cover at a global scale introduces a whole host of problems. Firstly, you lower the solar output which then means solar power generation will be less effective. That energy will need to be produced by some means, which right now fossil fuels would be the most likely to take up the deficit, increasing atmospheric carbon output. Then to compound problems further, the reduced solar radiation reaching the surface would have a number of impacts such as plant growth being slowed reducing their CO2 uptake, less moisture being evaporated for precipitation over land masses, wind patterns being changed, and wind speeds reduced which means even further reduction in renewable energy generation. So with today’s technology seeding clouds would end up compounding the issues in the long term and accelerate the already alarming changes.
Obviously the answer is to put solar panels into low orbit and have them provide power and shade. Then because we need food we’ll do orbital farms. And that means maintenance people so we better have orbital habitats too. And since it’ll probably be a crap job with a low quality of life we’ll need to conscript people…
Oh and it will be horribly expensive so we better get a billionaire or two on board. And when they suggest loaning workers the money to get and live there until they can work it off, it’s totally not indentured servitude.
Not sure if the /s was left off or this was a serious question.
In the case it was a serious question, the first issue that comes to mind is when you seed clouds for one region, what happens to the next region downwind where the clouds would have rained without intervention? You are just moving the drought, there will still be a difference in the rain pattern somewhere.
Seeding to generate more cloud cover at a global scale introduces a whole host of problems. Firstly, you lower the solar output which then means solar power generation will be less effective. That energy will need to be produced by some means, which right now fossil fuels would be the most likely to take up the deficit, increasing atmospheric carbon output. Then to compound problems further, the reduced solar radiation reaching the surface would have a number of impacts such as plant growth being slowed reducing their CO2 uptake, less moisture being evaporated for precipitation over land masses, wind patterns being changed, and wind speeds reduced which means even further reduction in renewable energy generation. So with today’s technology seeding clouds would end up compounding the issues in the long term and accelerate the already alarming changes.
Obviously the answer is to put solar panels into low orbit and have them provide power and shade. Then because we need food we’ll do orbital farms. And that means maintenance people so we better have orbital habitats too. And since it’ll probably be a crap job with a low quality of life we’ll need to conscript people…
Oh and it will be horribly expensive so we better get a billionaire or two on board. And when they suggest loaning workers the money to get and live there until they can work it off, it’s totally not indentured servitude.