A team of researchers and engineers from the University of Cambridge's Centre for Climate Repair, in collaboration with the British startup Real Ice, is experimenting with an unprecedented solution to counteract the loss of Arctic ice: using hydrogen-powered underwater drones to pump seawater over the polar ice cap, creating new layers of ice.
The goal? Break the vicious cycle that accelerates the melting of the ice, and buy precious time to reach the real goal: reducing emissions and stabilizing the global climate.
Underwater Drones Against Melting Ice: An Epic Challenge
For decades, theArctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. As sea ice melts, the surface of the sea absorbs more solar radiation, which in turn further accelerates the melting of the ice. It is a spiral (if you want, I will go into more detail in the box at the end of this paragraph) that threatens to transform the Arctic and, with it, the climate of the entire world. Today, some scientists are focusing on “unconventional” methods to slow this trend. Among them, a bold idea: recreating the thickness of the ice, using green technologies and underwater drones capable of spraying seawater on the surface, leaving it to freeze again. How does it work?
A vicious circle in the Arctic
The Arctic is warming at an astonishing rate, about four times faster than the global average. Since satellite measurements began, starting since 1979, the amount of sea ice has dropped dramatically. The melting of polar ice not only raises sea levels, but also reduces the Earth's ability to reflect sunlight back into space, increasing heat absorption and triggering a self-accelerating melting mechanism.
This dynamic, known as albedo feedback, could lead to completely ice-free Arctic summers by the middle of this century. The impacts would be enormous: from climate destabilization to methane emissions from thawing permafrost, to the risk of compromising entire ecosystems. Faced with this prospect, some researchers believe it is necessary to consider drastic action. How drastic?
Real Ice's Idea: Underwater Drones to Remake Ice
Real Ice’s vision, as mentioned, is based on underwater drones powered by green hydrogen. These machines would be able to drill into the ice from below, then pump seawater up above the ice shelf, creating an additional “ice blanket.”
Secondo Andrea Ceccolini, CEO of Real Ice, the preliminary tests conducted over the last two years they demonstrated that the method can actually increase the thickness of the ice. The principle is simple: if you can build thicker ice sheets, it becomes more difficult for them to completely melt during the summer. If the Arctic could retain ice year-round, the albedo effect would be restored, helping to contain global warming.
There's ice between saying and doing
As fascinating as the idea is, scaling it up is far from simple. First, researchers must demonstrate that the process works not only on small experimental areas, but also on large regions. Secondly, logistical and financial problems arise: according to preliminary estimates, to achieve a significant effect at the level of the entire Arctic Ocean, it may be necessary investments of the order of 10 billion dollars per year.
In a recent test, Real Ice managed to create approximately 1.000 tons of new ice over an area the size of a football field. This is a promising result, but still far from the necessary scale. The ultimate goal, as mentioned, would be to prevent the ice from melting during the hottest summers, ensuring a permanent ice cover. Only more extensive tests, planned from 2024/2025, will be able to demonstrate whether the approach is truly capable of counteracting ice loss on a seasonal basis.
Costs, benefits and real possibilities
The figure of $10 billion per year is certainly impressive, but Ceccolini calls for context: humanity has already spent much larger sums to address complex problems. Furthermore, avoiding the most severe impacts of climate change could save, in the long run, trillions of dollars in adaptation costs, environmental damage and economic damage.
The idea is that, if this technology proves effective, it would be a temporary bridge to gain time, allowing emissions to be reduced and CO2 concentrations to be stabilized at sustainable levels (around 350 ppm).
It is an approach that fits into the broader debate on geoengineering, a term that often arouses mistrust and fear. Some proposed methods, such as the injection of aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight, are considered potentially risky and have unpredictable side effects. There is also the fear of the so-called “moral hazard”: If there are techniques to mitigate the symptoms of climate change, governments and industries could delay efforts to reduce emissions, knowing they have a “Plan B.”
Ceccolini prefers to frame his proposal in “biomimicry”, that is, an attempt to mimic or restore existing natural processes. Before human-induced climate change, the Arctic was in equilibrium, and the ice regenerated naturally. The idea of Real Ice, in this view, would simply be a way to restore a lost mechanism.
Of course, it is maximum caution is required, and scientists themselves reiterate that this approach must not replace efforts to achieve net-zero emissions, but rather integrate a broader strategy.
Underwater Drones and Other Stories: Beyond Emission Reduction
I relationships of the IPCC clearly warn that reducing emissions is not enough. To keep the temperature increase below 1,5 °C, we will probably have to resort to technologies of carbon capture and other complementary solutions. The reforestation, the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and, if necessary, geoengineering interventions, could all become pieces of a larger puzzle.
The main challenge? Timing. Global emissions have not yet peaked and continue to grow, while the world's population will increase by approximately 2 billion people by 2050. Geopolitical tensions and internal political divisions make it even more difficult to take courageous and shared decisions. In this scenario, completely ignoring solutions such as Real Ice would perhaps mean missing an opportunity to intervene before the Arctic and its ecosystems are irretrievably lost.
Between Hope and Responsibility
The proposal to remake Arctic ice with underwater drones may sound like science fiction, but it reflects the urgency of our time. The Arctic is a sentinel of climate change, a wake-up call for humanity to find bold and visionary solutions. If this path proves feasible, it could buy us a little more time to rebalance the global climate system, slow rising temperatures, and prevent the loss of unique ecosystems.
This, of course, does not mean giving up the real priority: reducing emissions to zero as soon as possible, transforming production models and lifestyles, and protecting our planet in a lasting way. Real Ice's action is a reminder that it is not enough to hope: we need to act, experiment, innovate. And, above all, do not forget that even the most sophisticated interventions can never replace the collective responsibility to ensure a stable and secure future for generations to come.
