Think Tank

Climate Change & Politics

Restoring the Ice Age in an Attempt to Combat Climate Change

Authors/Researchers

Aissa Dearing, Gloria Cheung

Mentors

Yvonne Howell

Pleistocene Park is a bold effort to forestall the process of global warming, by mimicking conditions of the Pleistocene epoch. The reintroduction of herbivores in Pleistocene Park, Sakha Republic, Russia, is an attempt to recreate the conditions of the last glacial period to prevent permafrost melting. Permafrost stores carbon dioxide, methane, viruses, and other potentially dangerous organic matter that could have detrimental impacts on Earth. The explanation for this experiment is that herbivores remove vegetation from the ground, creating a stronger base for permafrost to hold, despite the warming global temperature. The purpose of our research is to understand the process of how the reintroduction of herbivores can reverse the damage done to the ecosystem due to climate change. How does reintroducing herbivores help the area? Why is reversing the ecosystem important? Why is this experiment controversial? What will this experiment prove? Our research seeks to contextualize the history of Pleistocene Park, how the surrounding community is engaged in this recreation, public perception of this project, and the effectiveness of this project.