Geneticist Urges Bold Climate Action, Proposes Four Strategies for Carbon Removal

Geneticist Dr. David E. Comings is challenging U.S. political leaders to take decisive action on climate change, presenting urgent scientific evidence and proposing four innovative strategies for carbon removal. In his recent book, 'If I Were a Billionaire, These are Four Things I Would do to Combat Global Warming and Help Save the Planet', Comings outlines critical environmental data that demands immediate intervention.

The scientific findings are stark: atmospheric CO2 levels have dramatically increased from 320 parts per million (ppm) in 1967 to 420 ppm currently, with the rate of increase accelerating from 1.0 ppm per year to 2.8 ppm per year in 2023. Perhaps more alarming is the earth's massive heat imbalance, equivalent to 432,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs detonating in the ocean daily.

Comings proposes four scalable strategies for combating global warming: repairing the earth's lost albedo, deploying CO2-removing catamarans, utilizing enhanced weathering with minerals like olivine, and implementing advanced carbon sequestration techniques in basalt formations. These methods could potentially remove trillions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

The geneticist emphasizes that technological solutions exist, but political will is lacking. He recommends creating a National Climate Restoration Office and increasing funding for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pilot projects. Comings believes climate restoration could become a unifying national priority, transcending current political divisions.

With a background in studying complex systems, Comings argues that we have moved beyond prevention and must now focus on reversing environmental damage. His message is clear: technological innovation and political cooperation can provide a path forward in addressing the global climate crisis.