Climate experts warned that a strong El Niño developing alongside human-caused global warming is expected to intensify heat waves, droughts, storms, food insecurity, and economic losses worldwide, with vulnerable communities facing some of the most severe impacts. The warning came during an online briefing titled “Fuel on Fire: Reporting El Niño and the True Costs of Climate Change,” as reported by BusinessWorld.
The experts noted that the combination of a natural El Niño cycle and ongoing greenhouse gas emissions is creating a recipe for more extreme weather events. They highlighted that regions already stressed by poverty and weak infrastructure would bear the brunt of the impacts, including prolonged droughts and more intense tropical cyclones. The briefing emphasized the need for improved early warning systems and disaster preparedness.
Economic losses from climate-related disasters are projected to rise sharply as El Niño amplifies existing trends. The experts called for urgent global action to cut emissions and invest in adaptation measures, warning that without decisive steps, the costs — both human and financial — would continue to escalate.