There has been an internet discussion of the use of tunnelling machines from the Boring Company to flood the Qattara depression. Two stories in the anthology refer to this solution, these are The Desert Spiral Initiative and Penang Fairhaven: A Visitor’s Guide.
Our experts have classified this solution as a ‘gamechanger’ meaning changes to the systemic conditions leading to different incentives/decision-making processes.
How does this solution rate on:
| Climate impact: tonnes of carbon saved/removed | New inland seas create watery habitats and mangrove forests that sequester carbon. Millions of tonnes of CO2e drawdown. |
| Climate adaptation-resilience | Inland seas generate clouds which irrigate the surrounding areas. |
| Social justice i.e. addresses inequalities, diversity, inclusion | New land for communities. |
| Cost of action needed to progress goal | Big canal projects, but less expensive than other projects for given impact. |
| Which location is the solution most needed/applicable | Locations with depressions (landforms sunken or depressed below the surrounding area). Here is a list of places on land with elevations below sea level. |
| Risk | Some sites will be better left as land, but others, such as Lake Eyre in Australia could produce interesting new habitats. |
| Feasibility | These would be large-scale geo-engineering projects where consequences would have to be balanced against benefits. Geoengineering is often considered a swear word, but in reality, humanity has been geoengineering the planet for 10,000 years. |
Do your own research on the solution
The ‘Green the Sinai‘ project gives a good case study of how this solution could work in practice.
Interested in progressing this solution further?
| Actions for policymakers | Countries with the depressions need to explore these options. |
| Actions for funding bodies | Provide full funding for dozens of projects in multiple locations around the world. |
| Actions for business | |
| Actions for public |
