The fight against global warming could reduce agricultural output

Rice fields in Vietnam.

This is especially true for projects that spray aerosol particles into the stratosphere. This would probably reduce temperatures, but would also lead to major crop failures, according to Nature.

Scientists have repeatedly proposed spraying particles with sulfur compounds above the Earth. These particles would interfere with the sun's rays, and the planet would become less hot.

Experts from the University of California at Berkeley decided to calculate all the consequences of such a dangerous move. They analyzed the results of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, which spewed about 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. As a result, global temperatures dropped by about 0.5 degrees Celsius.

It turns out that while the drop in temperature helped crops, they were also severely affected by the lack of sunlight. Analysis of the data showed that large eruptions reduced crop yields, and that favorable climatic conditions only partially compensated for this.