Scientists are proposing geoengineering methods including a type of “curtain” around the base of the glaciers to combat the rapid melting of ice sheets in Antarctica, The Guardian reports, citing a study (pdf) by the University of Chicago. The 100 km curtains would extend along the seabed of the Amundsen Sea and rise about 200 meters from the ocean floor to shield glaciers from warm water which erodes the base of the ice blocks.

A persistent threat: Even with efforts to reduce emissions and limit global heating to 2°C, it may not be enough to prevent ice sheet collapse, the report adds. The melting of key glaciers like Thwaites and Pine Island in Antarctica’s Amundsen Sea could lead to sea level rises of up to a meter by 2100, threatening low-lying cities and displacing mns of people.

What’s next? If implemented, the project — dubbed Seabed Curtain —would be one of the largest geo-engineering efforts ever undertaken. Initial tests for the project are planned later this year, with potential larger-scale prototypes to follow in different locations including in Norway.

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