What would it take to greenify the Sahara Desert?

Question

And how long would it take? And why has no initiative to get it done been taken yet by multi-national task crews, international agricultural or logging companies, and the likewise well-funded?

Answer 1

The artic global warming.

Answer 2

It would take lots of plantng trees  too greenfy the sahara approxamate 15 years for the trees to mature. I do not really know why no government initiative has been taken.

Answer 3

part of the Sahara sits on a vast underground lake which could be pumped to the surface and used to "greenify" the desert. as to cost i couldn't begin to estimate it.

Answer 4

A complete change in weather patterns. Start with leveling out the Mtns that block the water from falling on the Sahara!

I would propose a  massive desalination plant and a huge pipeline. But honestly that would take burning a lot of fossil fuel to create and run those two things and alas that is what has caused the problem in the first place (according to many)

Answer 5

Well, if only someone is too serious to greenify at least, 1,000 sq.m. of the Sahara Dessert to experiment if it is possible, I am sure, it can be done.  But on second thought, there are lots of areas to be greenified like the places in Africa as well as the mountains in every country.  

If the people will only help hand in hand in growing lots of plants, there will be more oxygen than carbon dioxide.

I for one, is trying to make a forest out of my own backyard and my frontal vacant space.  As a result, one of my neighbors' so eager to remove my man-made forest.  For me, everytime I go home, I feel so at ease with myself breathing enough oxygen upon entering my front gate.  

Actually, I feel so sad everytime I see people cutting trees inside their yards and even along the highways.

Answer 6

Re-greening deserts has already been done by Permaculturists.

See this video, it is a relatively easy, inexpensive method of RE-greening deserts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohI6vnWZ...

However, just a note, deserts have their own ecology, they have flora and fauna that have adapted to live in those conditions and thrive. They have complex food webs and cycles. If we, mankind has created the desert by unsustainable practices, many would argue that we should RE-Green. But we should be aware of our agenda and the other living and non living systems that live in that desert. Should we green deserts solely for the convenience of man?

Answer 7

Money lots and lots of money! And a major problem is there is not much that will grow in a barren and dry region that is mostly sand. I think if we were going to terraform another planet this would make an ideal testing area though.

Answer 8

Transforming the desert environment would be costly if we wanted the change man-produced in a short span of time. Perhaps the economics of such a project would be astronomically costly to make it an unattractice enterprise.

Neverthless, the natural conversion (or slow conversion) of the Sahara desert into a grassland is rather interesting in that once the Sahara used to be a grassland. The Romans consdiered the area a breadbasket for the Empire. Overgrazing was the utlimate cause of the desertification. Therefore remove or prohibit grasing animals from the periphery while introducing deep rooting desert annuals and perennials in that periphery that will let nutrients and moisture accumulate over time.

Perhaps in 500 years the Sahara grasslands can return with the annual grass plant and the perennial shrubs that used to characterize the area.

Answer 9

There is little that could be done to change this area that would make it of value to do. Water is not available and the needed organics are equally unavailable at reasonable cost. The area is like it is because of climate and changing the land would be tantamount to trying to turn the Grand Canyon area and surrounding desert into farm. Some of the surrounding area might be marginally productive but not much more than is currently. Such is this planet and all the different biospheres. They are actually all interlocked and interactive. One doesn't necessarily want to change any of them as they all are important life filled zones in their own right.

Answer 10

It would actually be very dangerous to "greenify" the Sahara. Deserts are part of Earth's natural cooling system: they reflect sunlight and heat back into space. They, in fact, counterbalance the large portions of rain forest and vegetation which absorb heat from the sun. To get rid of deserts would significantly warm Earth, and only contribute to global warming.

Answer 11

Water and a change in the earth's tilt.  History tells us that the earth has been changed from the earth's tilt.

Answer 12

Why would you want to do that? Haven't we had enough effect through trying to modify the earth to fit our needs? The deserts are a necessary part of the global ecosystem - just because it doesn't fit into our notion of habitable, doesn't mean it isn't right.

Answer 13

water - lots and lots of water

Answer 14

Like the other answerers have noted: water and money...maybe a little moderate soil changes as well.

The reason it hasn't been done it that there is not a demand for it great enough to offset the cost of doing it. Whenever land/food is in high enough demand, perhaps the developement of other desertified areas (besides the urbanized american southwest) will occur.

Just like desalination to regain fresh water and even using ethanol or hydrogen over gasoline, there has to be a great enough need to offset the start-up costs for any action to be taken.

Irregardless the product, until most easily obtainable sources and substituions are exhausted, the less profitable {or more difficult} alternatives will remain unrefined.