Study warns geoengineering proposal could disrupt ENSO cycle and impact global agriculture

A study published in the journal Earth's Future examined marine cloud brightening as a potential geoengineering method to counteract global warming. This practice involves artificially brightening clouds over the ocean to reflect sunlight back into space. Researchers found that simulating this proposal could disrupt the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, leading to a 61% reduction in its amplitude.

ENSO is a climate cycle that recurs every two to seven years, involving the movement of warm water across the Pacific Ocean. This movement dictates whether it is an El Niño event, affecting the Americas, or a La Niña event, affecting Asia. The potential reduction in the cycle's amplitude could negatively impact global agriculture by affecting rainfall patterns on both sides of the Pacific.