A new Weizmann Institute study shows that building solar farms in arid regions is a far more effective way to tackle the climate crisis than planting forests.
A new Weizmann Institute study shows that building solar farms in arid regions is a far more effective way to tackle the climate crisis than planting forests.
A verdant forest is one of the most iconic symbols of the power of nature, from the abundance of plant and animal life that shelters among its thick vegetation to the positive impact it has on Earth’s climate, thanks in part to photosynthesis, which removes carbon dioxide from the air, thereby mitigating the effects of global warming. Cutting down tropical evergreen forests has played a significant role in exacerbating the climate crisis, and many environmental initiatives focus on rehabilitating destroyed forests or planting new trees. The problem is that, even if we were to cover the entire surface of the planet with trees, the resultant massive photosynthetic force would still not suffice to absorb the huge surplus of carbon dioxide – the major greenhouse gas – that has been pumped into the atmosphere during the past 150 years of human activity.
There is another way of dealing with the climate crisis, which, unlike the forests, is neither natural nor green, at least not in the literal sense of the word. This artificial solution consists of erecting fields of dark-colored solar panels. Obviously, the production of electricity from solar power has a positive impact on climate balance, since it replaces power stations that use fossil fuels such as coal and gas, thereby reducing harmful emissions of greenhouse gases that accumulate at increasing concentrations in the atmosphere.
Read more at Weizmann Institute of Science
Photo Credit: TheOtherKev via Pixabay
