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Record-Breaking El Niño Event Intensifies, Posing Global Challenges Amidst Human-Driven Climate Change

Record-Breaking El Niño Event Intensifies, Posing Global Challenges Amidst Human-Driven Climate Change

A rapidly strengthening 'super' El Niño event is unfolding, with scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and other leading universities contributing to a briefing on its potential impacts. El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean, influences global weather patterns, leading to heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall, and flooding. This particular event is occurring against a backdrop of long-term human-driven climate warming, which is expected to amplify its effects. Professor Penny Holliday, NOC’s Chief Scientific Officer, highlighted that while previous strong El Niño events didn't always result in record global temperatures, the current warming planet leaves less 'headroom' before new records are broken, making this potentially the strongest El Niño in modern history. The briefing aims to provide evidence-based messages to journalists and media organizations to ensure accurate reporting on the event's implications.
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UN Secretary-General Guterres Urges Immediate Action on Climate Change at COP31, Citing 'Moment of Truth'

UN Secretary-General Guterres Urges Immediate Action on Climate Change at COP31, Citing 'Moment of Truth'

As the United Nations climate talks, COP31, commence in Turkey, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued an urgent plea to world leaders, declaring it a 'moment of truth' for climate action. This marks Guterres's final major address on global warming as his second and last term as Secretary-General concludes at the end of the year. He emphasized that the world can no longer afford delays or the shifting of responsibility, asserting that 'Everybody must do more, everybody must do more now.' Guterres reflected on a pivotal moment when scientists informed him that the 2015 Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius was no longer achievable, a revelation he described as an 'enormous shock.' He attributes this failure not to the world itself, but to political leadership that lacks a long-term strategic view necessary for sustained investment in a greener future. Despite the grim assessment, Guterres expressed hope in the global expansion of wind and solar power as more affordable ...
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El Niño 2026-2027 Could Be the Strongest in a Lifetime, Experts Warn

El Niño 2026-2027 Could Be the Strongest in a Lifetime, Experts Warn

The ongoing El Niño event in 2026-2027 is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recorded history, according to meteorologists. This natural climate phenomenon, caused by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, is already impacting global weather patterns. In the U.S., El Niño has suppressed Atlantic hurricane activity while intensifying storms in the Pacific. The event is expected to last through next year, bringing extreme weather conditions, including lingering heat in northern and eastern states, increased storms in the southern U.S., and potential snow and freezing rain in the Southeast during winter. Experts warn that the impacts of this El Niño could be unprecedented due to the current elevated global temperatures caused by climate change.
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EU Climate Monitor Predicts 2026 to Be Second-Hottest Year on Record Amidst Strong El Nino

EU Climate Monitor Predicts 2026 to Be Second-Hottest Year on Record Amidst Strong El Nino

The European Union's climate monitor, Copernicus Climate Change Service, has announced that 2026 is highly likely to be the second-hottest year on record globally. This projection comes as an exceptionally strong El Nino weather pattern intensifies human-driven global warming. The report indicates a 20% chance that 2026 could tie or surpass 2024 as the warmest year ever. Global temperatures are now considered 'virtually certain' to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in 2026, with the four-year average from 2023 to 2026 also expected to surpass this critical threshold set by the Paris Agreement. October 2026 marked the warmest October on record, with average global surface air temperatures 1.75°C above pre-industrial times, continuing a three-month trend of exceeding the 1.5°C limit. Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), highlighted that the strong El Nino is adding significant heat to an already warming climate.
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UN climate talks start in the year of disasters, energy price shocks and fast rising temperatures

UN climate talks start in the year of disasters, energy price shocks and fast rising temperatures

The United Nations climate negotiations will open in Turkey with a focus on three key narratives
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Strongest El Niño Since 1950 Expected to Influence Global Temperatures, Potentially Making 2026 Warmest Year on Record

Strongest El Niño Since 1950 Expected to Influence Global Temperatures, Potentially Making 2026 Warmest Year on Record

The current El Niño event, characterized by a warming in the Pacific Ocean, has become the strongest since record-keeping began in 1950, surpassing the 2015-16 record. Ocean temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region of the Pacific, near the equator, have reached 3.5°C above average, significantly exceeding the 2°C threshold for a strong El Niño. This phenomenon is contributing to a temporary increase in global temperatures. Berkeley Earth, a climate analysis organization, initially forecast a 2.5% chance of 2026 being the warmest year on record in May, but this probability has since surged to 96% as El Niño developed. The effects of El Niño on global temperatures typically manifest about three months after its peak, which is projected for November or December. While El Niño is a significant factor, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo noted that El Niño releases heat already stored in the ocean, rather than adding new heat to the planet. This stored heat is primarily attrib...
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Arctic Permafrost Thaw Exacerbates Global Warming, Shifts Carbon Balance

Arctic Permafrost Thaw Exacerbates Global Warming, Shifts Carbon Balance

Thawing Arctic permafrost is increasingly contributing to global warming by releasing greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, previously stored in frozen soils. This process occurs as microorganisms break down organic material preserved for millennia. While a recent scientific review indicates the Arctic region still functions as a modest carbon sink due to the Arctic Ocean's absorption of carbon dioxide, the carbon balance on land, particularly in permafrost areas, is undergoing significant changes. New research highlights that additional emissions from permafrost, wetlands, lakes, and wildfires could lead to an approximate 0.2 to 0.4 degrees Celsius increase in global warming by 2100, with methane accounting for about half of this effect. Visible manifestations of this phenomenon include methane bubbles rising from Alaskan lakes where organic material has been trapped in permafrost.
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Zero Waste Europe to Present Methane Reduction Solutions at COP31

Zero Waste Europe to Present Methane Reduction Solutions at COP31

Zero Waste Europe (ZWE), as part of a larger delegation from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), will participate in COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. ZWE plans to showcase its solutions and evidence for reducing methane emissions from the waste sector. Their focus will be on food waste prevention, collection, treatment, and biological stabilization, including Mechanical Recovery and Biological Treatment (MRBT) and Landfill BREF standards. The organization will present its findings and insights at several events throughout the two-week conference. One key session, 'Closing the gap: Climate-smart solutions for residual waste and plastics,' will discuss practical approaches for managing mixed residual waste, which significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from landfills and fossil CO2 from burning plastics. This session will bring together various stakeholders, including a philanthropic funder, a systems-change consultancy, and civil society organizations, to s...
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Mediterranean Countries Adopt Joint Climate Adaptation Framework in 2025 Amidst Rising Emissions

Mediterranean Countries Adopt Joint Climate Adaptation Framework in 2025 Amidst Rising Emissions

In 2025, Mediterranean countries collectively agreed upon a joint framework designed to adapt to the impacts of climate change. This agreement was reached despite a continued increase in emissions within the region. The framework aims to help these nations cope with the escalating effects of global warming, such as marine heatwaves, floods, and wildfires, which are becoming increasingly common in the Mediterranean. The region is identified as the second-fastest warming area globally, after the Arctic, and is projected to deplete its carbon budget for the 2°C limit by 2035. While the framework focuses on adaptation, there is a recognized need for regional action to reduce emissions, which is currently lacking.
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New Study Projects Future Heatwaves to Exceed Recent Extremes in Duration, Area, and Severity

New Study Projects Future Heatwaves to Exceed Recent Extremes in Duration, Area, and Severity

A new study led by researcher Philipp Aglas-Leitner from Freie Universität Berlin, published in Nature Communications, indicates that future heatwaves are projected to be significantly more intense, longer-lasting, and cover larger geographical areas than any experienced in recent history. The research team analyzed 22 exceptional heatwaves that occurred globally between 2010 and 2023, with an in-depth focus on nine events from 2015 to 2023. These historical events were then compared against climate model projections spanning from 2020 to 2100. The study examined multiple characteristics of heatwaves, including duration, cumulative heat, median and maximum severity, and spatial extent. The findings consistently show that a substantial proportion of future heatwaves will surpass the severity and scale of recent extreme events, particularly towards the end of the 21st century. This suggests that the extreme heat experienced in recent years may only be a precursor to what is to come due to climate change.
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WHO Report Links Fossil Fuel Taxation to Significant Health and Economic Benefits

WHO Report Links Fossil Fuel Taxation to Significant Health and Economic Benefits

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a new report stating that implementing six climate and health measures globally could prevent 1.6 million deaths annually and generate $3.9 trillion in economic benefits. The report, issued ahead of the COP31 climate talks in Antalya, Türkiye, highlights that five of these measures, including improved heat-health warning systems and cleaner household fuels, could save approximately 360,000 lives per year at a cost of about $35 billion, yielding a $24 return for every dollar spent. However, a substantial portion of the projected lives saved (1.2 million) and all of the estimated $5.4 trillion in additional government revenue would depend on phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and increasing taxes on coal, oil, and gas to account for their pollution and climate damage. The report assumes a full fossil fuel price reform across 168 countries starting in 2024, which would involve removing existing subsidies and imposing new taxes to cover indirect costs and VAT. This s...
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Public Support for Forest-Based Climate Solutions Varies Across Strategies in U.S. Public Lands

Public Support for Forest-Based Climate Solutions Varies Across Strategies in U.S. Public Lands

A recent study examined public support for prioritizing carbon storage on U.S. public lands and for six specific forest-carbon management strategies. The findings indicate that while there is substantial overall support for forest-based climate solutions, the level of acceptance varies significantly depending on the specific strategy. Strategies such as post-disturbance forest recovery, reducing wildfire and disturbance risks, improved forest management, and forest expansion received higher levels of public support. In contrast, limiting forest conversion garnered comparatively less support. The study, which surveyed U.S. adults, highlights that public acceptance is influenced not only by the expected carbon benefits but also by perceived ecological, social, and economic consequences. Climate-change awareness and support for immediate climate action were consistently linked to stronger support across all strategies. Other factors like carbon familiarity, public-land values, trust in scientists and agencies...