Turning the USA into a net-zero carbon economy could involve covering a landmass equivalent to seven states in geoengineering infrastructure, according to environmental social scientist Holly Jean Buck.
Overcoming resistance from communities impacted by vast renewable energy plants and carbon-removal machinery will be one of the biggest barriers in the fight against climate change, she said.
Environmental social scientist Holly Jean Buck
"We already have a lot of conflicts around land for renewable siting and we've only built out a small fraction of the amount of renewables we're going to need," she said.
"So that will be a challenge."Huge solar and wind farms will be needed to replace fossil energy and power millions of direct air capture machines needed to suck CO2 from the atmosphere. Decarbonising will "really impact you"
In addition, decarbonising the USA will involve building intrusive infrastructure including power transmission lines as well as mines needed to extract the raw materials needed to build a fossil-free grid.
"It's gonna really impact you," said Buck, who is assistant professor of environmental sustainability at the University of Buffalo, USA.
"It's significant. It's not just about the visual aesthetic, it's about who's controlling it, it's about how the identity of the region is changing. If it used to be an agricultural area, there's a sense of loss around that."
Buck's book explores how large-scale i...