A group of scientists has investigated a new study published in the journal Science Advances, exploring a controversial technique called solar geoengineering to mitigate the effects of El Niño. El Niño is a natural climate pattern originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which typically boosts global temperatures and fuels extreme weather. The study, led by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, focused on whether a technique called marine cloud brightening could be used as a tool to reduce the severe heat, fires, and other impacts El Niño brings.

Marine Cloud Brightening

Marine cloud brightening involves spraying particles into ocean clouds to reflect sunlight away from the Earth and back into space. The researchers used a natural experiment, analyzing the effects of Australia’s Black Summer bushfires in 2019 and 2020, which produced plumes of smoke filled with sun-reflecting particles that mixed with clouds over the Pacific Ocean. They found that targeted marine cloud brightening could weaken El Niño’s impacts and increase the cooling and drying effects associated with La Niña by 40%.

The scientists acknowledge several potential drawbacks, including the complexity of El Niño and the potential for unintended consequences. The technique may be physically possible, but currently, the technology does not exist to deploy it on a practical scale. Geoengineering is a hotly debated topic, with some experts fearing it could distract from efforts to cut planet-heating pollution.

Conclusion

The study’s authors stress that the paper is not advocating for geoengineering but rather exploring the concept as a potential tool to mitigate the effects of El Niño. While the idea is still in its infancy, it highlights the need for further research and consideration of the potential benefits and drawbacks of solar geoengineering.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.