CALIFORNIA \u2013 Climate engineering, or geoengineering, is increasingly\nbeing discussed as an option to mitigate the impacts of global warming.\nHowever, recent research indicates that such technology has the\npotential to disrupt Earth\u2019s climate system if applied without an\nadequate understanding of its consequences.<\/p>\n
University of California research published in the journal Earth\u2019s\nFuture found that every climate engineering method carries different\nconsequences. Some approaches are assessed to be capable of triggering\nmajor changes in regional climate systems, while other methods have a\nmuch smaller impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must be careful when implementing climate engineering proposals\nbefore we fully understand what is happening,\u201d said the study\u2019s lead\nauthor, Chen Xing, as quoted from Science Daily on Saturday\n(4\/7\/2026).<\/p>\n
Xing, along with colleague Cali Pfleger, researched the impact of\nclimate engineering on marine ecosystems, focusing on the El\nNi\u00f1o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon\u2014the natural cycle of sea\nsurface temperature changes in the Pacific Ocean that influences weather\npatterns worldwide.<\/p>\n
In the study, the team compared two climate engineering approaches\nthat both aim to reflect a portion of sunlight back into space to lower\nEarth\u2019s temperature.<\/p>\n
The first approach is Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB), which involves\nspraying sea salt particles into the lower atmosphere to make clouds\nbrighter, thereby reflecting more sunlight. The second approach is\nStratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI), which disperses sulphate\nparticles into the stratosphere to achieve a more even cooling\neffect.<\/p>\n
Simulation results showed that implementing MCB in the eastern\nPacific Ocean could reduce the strength of ENSO by approximately 61 per\ncent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very difficult to make ENSO change that much in such a short\nperiod of time,\u201d said University of California Associate Professor\nSamantha Stevenson.<\/p>\n
According to the researchers, this change is triggered by the cooling\nof the sea surface and reduced rainfall due to changes in cloud\ncharacteristics. These conditions then affect atmospheric circulation,\nstrengthening winds along the equator and increasing the process of cold\nsea water upwelling, which ultimately weakens ENSO.<\/p>\n
Xing stated that the research findings show that the MCB approach in\nthe eastern Pacific Ocean region has the potential to trigger unintended\nconsequences for the global climate system.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo not perform MCB over the eastern Pacific Ocean because it could\ntrigger a very powerful chain reaction due to the loss of ENSO,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In contrast, the SAI approach did not show a significant influence on\nENSO because the dispersed particles spread more evenly throughout the\natmosphere, thus not drastically altering the regional climate\nbalance.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Stevenson emphasised that these findings do not mean\nall MCB approaches should be abandoned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not saying that all MCBL will kill ENSO. We are only saying\nthat this happens if you do it in this specific region,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The research also warns that climate engineering could lead to other\nimpacts, including a reduction in the intensity of sunlight required for\nphotosynthesis. This condition has the potential to affect agricultural\nproductivity as well as marine ecosystems, which support the food chain\nand produce much of the Earth\u2019s oxygen.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo interventions could achieve the same global temperature\nreduction target, yet have extraordinarily different regional climate\nimpacts. The most important question is: have we considered all the\npossible consequences?\u201d said Stevenson.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/researchers-warn-of-dangers-of-climate-engineering-1783216247", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }