UC San Diego Study Says Cloud Brightening Could Cut El Niño Cooling, Drying Extremes 40%
Updated
Updated · New York Post · Jul 12
UC San Diego Study Says Cloud Brightening Could Cut El Niño Cooling, Drying Extremes 40%
3 articles · Updated · New York Post · Jul 12
Summary
Science Advances published a UC San Diego-led proposal to inject aerosols over the southeast Pacific, brightening marine clouds to reflect sunlight and blunt a looming super El Niño.
NOAA on Thursday put the chance of a “very strong” El Niño by December at 81%, a level linked to droughts, downpours and heatwaves that researchers said could cost the global economy trillions.
Modeling of the 1997 and 2015 major El Niños found the targeted intervention could boost cooling and drying effects by 40%, building on evidence from a 2023 study of Pacific bushfire smoke.
The idea remains theoretical: researchers said no test is planned for the current El Niño, and critics warn geoengineering could create unforeseen side effects or distract from cutting greenhouse-gas emissions.
Is dimming the sun a necessary emergency tool or a dangerous distraction from the real work of ending fossil fuel dependence?
Could the attempt to tame El Niño accidentally unleash a catastrophic 'mega La Niña' with even worse consequences for the globe?
Marine Cloud Brightening Could Reduce Extreme El Niño Intensity by 20%: Promise, Risks, and Global Governance Challenges
Overview
A new study from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, published in July 2026, explores marine cloud brightening (MCB) as a targeted geoengineering strategy to weaken extreme El Niño events. By injecting sea salt aerosols into low-lying marine clouds over the Pacific, MCB increases cloud reflectivity, which can cool the region and disrupt the feedback loops that drive El Niño. The research suggests that strategically deployed MCB could reduce the intensity of extreme El Niño events by up to 20%, potentially lessening global weather disruptions like droughts, floods, and hurricanes. This approach highlights both the promise and complexity of climate intervention.