0
0
GENEVA – The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have issued a stark warning over the potential development of an exceptionally strong El Niño event, urging governments and international financial institutions to take immediate preventive action to limit its humanitarian and economic impact.
Speaking in Geneva on Wednesday, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo called for a coordinated global response, warning that ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific have reached unprecedented levels.
“Today, we are issuing a joint appeal to the international community to act urgently and in a coordinated, forward-looking manner,” Saulo said.
While El Niño cannot be stopped, she stressed that many of its most severe consequences can be mitigated through early preparedness and investment.
“We cannot stop El Niño, but we can prevent many of its worst impacts on people,” she said.
According to the WMO, sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific are now higher than at any point during the past four decades of observational records. Forecast models suggest temperatures in the region could rise as much as 3.8 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, significantly exceeding the previous record anomaly of around 3 degrees.
Scientists classify an El Niño event as occurring when ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific rise by at least 0.5 degrees Celsius above normal levels. The naturally recurring climate phenomenon, which typically develops every two to seven years and lasts between nine and twelve months, can trigger severe droughts in some regions and devastating floods in others.
Although Europe is generally less affected than other parts of the world, many developing regions face heightened risks to agriculture, water supplies and food security.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher urged governments, development banks and international financial institutions to release funding before disasters occur rather than responding afterward.
“Financing must be unlocked with this perspective in mind before the damage occurs, not afterward,” Fletcher said.
The warning comes as experts increasingly fear that the combined effects of human-induced climate change and a powerful El Niño could make 2027 the hottest year ever recorded globally.
The WMO reported that sea surface temperature anomalies in the core El Niño region of the central and eastern Pacific increased sharply from 1.6 degrees Celsius above average in June to 2.5 degrees above average by August.
The current event is already causing severe hardship in some parts of the world. In Central America, prolonged drought conditions have led to livestock deaths and crop failures, threatening livelihoods and food production.
El Niño events usually reach their peak intensity between November and February. However, the resulting rise in global temperatures and associated weather disruptions often become more noticeable in the months that follow.
Meteorologists warn that without early action, vulnerable communities across the globe could face worsening droughts, extreme rainfall, food shortages and economic losses as the phenomenon intensifies.
- source: oe24.at/picture: pixabay.com
This post has already been read 101 times!
