I am interested about the environemental positive effect of large scale desalination of sea water. Anual production of desalted water is about E10 m3 with a very bad evironemental impact. The average rise in sea level of 3 mm per year corresponds to approximately E12 m3 of saltwater. By removing the water, making it safe with ecological means, for example, to irrigate arid areas, would we have a beneficial effect on global warming and its consequences such as accelerated desertification in drylands? Are you agree with an estimate cost of a thousand billion euros? Can we consider also this way to carbon sequestration du to the development of organic matter?
If the question means use of desalinated sea water for irrigation. Carbon footprint of water desalination should be compared with the expected carbon budget in the green cover resulting from irrigation.
If the irrigation is not temporary, the sequestration is not temporary, but I am not able to evaluate this sequestration. All over the planet, we need to extract every year ten thousand billion cubic meters sea water to avoid catastrophic consequences, it should cost a thousand billion euros. Can humanity manage this challenge?
thanks a lot, Ok for humans and animals, but about development of organic matters, I was thinking to plants, humans and animals are "only" a side effect if I can say.
I am happy to see the healthy discussion here. According to my understanding, if we success to increase the plant biomass production then definitely here carbon sequestration occurred. On other hand, if we considering the point i.e. long term solution as mentioned by Kenneth M Towe is really very important. I would like to mentioned another techniques i.e., biochar production from waste biomass produces, which may make this whole process sustainable and increase carbon sequestration rate for long term. The biochar is not easily degraded by soil microbes as easily biomass degraded.
Pr. Towe, there are already in arid zones many people who can intelligently manage water. If I understand well, you say that the overall carbon footprint of developpement of vegetables, humans and animals that eat them is negative. I don't think so and I am going to verify that precisely.
Dear Kenneth... Thanks a lot, it's very clear, I understand a little more what we have to consider in the balance sheet. My question was not sufficiently precise. In my mind, a big part of the water extracted must serve to reforestation of arid areas. In that case, the carbon footprint should be more favorable.
Thanks to prof. Towe
Dear @Gino
Due to (energy intensive) desalination process footprint, and "UNLESS the organic matter is BURIED...in sediments away from OXYGEN", overall carbon footprint of reforestation minus (-) that of the desalination process, due to contentious irrigation, may be unfavorable after a period of time.
Dear Kenneth and Talib,
I think it's also a question of will and money.
What about if the money, desalination and transport are obtained with reduced carbon footprint. Can we consider that?
Kenneth...It is a very pessimistic view that you offer us there, we now only waiting for the world's population stops to grow in a hundred years to hope to control CO2 emissions.
I'd like to return to the photosynthesis equations: it's only an energetic aspect and in a steady state; before steady state, we have to consider an transient state (as life) in which there is creation and growth of living organisms, in this case I think there is carbon storage. The particularity of living organisms is from multiplying and this storage continues. I hope it works like that. The max of emission don't occur where the population is the biggest but where the industrialization is important, USA, Europe, China.
So, very high scale desalination of sea water should have any beneficial effect on global warming and its consequences as rise of sea level and arid zones desertification. We can say the debate is closed.
Thanks for your interest and your patience.
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