When the sun’s rays shine on bare desert regions, there are no perennial grasses to insulate the rocks and soil from absorbing the heat of the sun, and the top inch of bare soil can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit or more. The bare rocks and soil absorb the sun’s heat, which in turn heats the air. The desert areas of the world are large contributors of the heat which causes global warming. Cooling of desert areas could be one method of slowing global warming. Even at the lowest projected temperature increases, climate change models predict more frequent and more severe storms, floods, heat waves, and droughts.

Because of the dire world-wide consequences of further global warming, methods of slowing or halting its continuance would be of benefit to nations around the world. One obvious step in this direction would be the cessation of the burning of fossil fuels. However, the global economy seems to be too dependent on fossil fuels for this to occur in the near future.

Desert regions across the globe are largely unproductive and uninhabited. To slow global warming, I suggest that much of the world’s uninhabited desert regions be given a reflective coating. The sun’s warming rays would then be reflected from these surfaces back into space, with a consequent lesser warming of the earth’s surface.

A white paint could be used as the reflective substance. To prevent the sprayed surfaces from being blown away, an adhesive material could be added to the paint to form a top layer crust over sprayed areas. Aircraft such as helicopters, crop dusters, or fire-fighting aerial tankers could be modified to allow for the spraying of the reflective substance over selected desert areas. To counteract global warming to an appreciable extent may require the spraying of thousands of square miles of the world’s desert areas.

Because deserts occur on most continents, and since global warming affects all nations, this method of counteracting global warming should become a project of the United Nations. However, individual nations could take it upon themselves to proceed with the project, with or without UN backing.

Joseph P. Komatz
Huntington Beach, CA