Geneva: The United Nations has warned that the current El Niño phenomenon could reach unprecedented levels of intensity, potentially triggering widespread climatic disruptions and increasing the risks of drought, flooding, and heatwaves—at a time when 50 million people could face heightened levels of hunger.
El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean rise above their typical averages. This shifts wind patterns and rainfall distribution, affecting weather conditions across various parts of the globe.
During a joint press conference in Geneva today, Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, called for urgent, proactive action to protect the most vulnerable communities. They noted that the phenomenon could peak toward the end of 2026, with its impacts persisting long thereafter.
Fletcher explained that the United Nations has allocated more than $50 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support 11 at-risk countries—including Chad, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan—emphasizing the importance of delivering aid before damage occurs, while supporting farmers and herders and safeguarding livelihoods.
The World Meteorological Organization has warned of the varying regional impacts of the phenomenon—ranging from heavy rainfall and flooding in some areas to the risks of drought, water shortages, and declining agricultural production in others—which could exacerbate humanitarian and economic crises, as well as displacement and conflict.
