Help us keep the planet cool

Governments have been meeting, talking and setting targets to prevent climate change since the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1994. But with society still slow to act, and greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation ever increasing, global warming remains a very real threat.

Engineers need to act now to keep our planet cool. That’s why it is so important to come up with ideas on how to reduce current greenhouse gas levels and maintain the heat balance.

The Cooling the Planet challenge showcased young engineers' skills and demonstrated engineering’s role in solving these global issues. 

Learn more about current thinking on geo-engineering.

What was involved?

Teams from around the world competed to present feasible engineering alternatives to reverse the effects of global warming. Each team had to make initial technical assessments to prove the engineering feasibility and sustainability of their potential geo-engineering solution.

The solution proposed had to either:

• Reduce the content of GHGs in the planet’s atmosphere, or
• Alter the climate system beneficially

Heats were held regionally during December 2009, with successful teams progressing to final judging at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' (IMechE) London offices on the afternoon of 5 March 2009. 

The Final

From a strong field of competitors, six finalists emerged, three with geo-engineering approaches and three with mitigation approaches.

Find out the results of the final