The United Nations has warned that the El Niño climate phenomenon is expected to strengthen during 2026, raising the likelihood of extreme weather events, including droughts, floods and storms, across several regions of the world.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), there is an 80–90% probability that El Niño will intensify this year and could become one of the strongest on record. The agency urged governments and humanitarian organisations to act early to protect vulnerable populations before climate shocks escalate into food crises.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also confirmed that El Niño has already developed in the tropical Pacific Ocean and is expected to strengthen between July and September, as sea surface temperatures continue to rise.
Acting WFP Executive Director Carl Skau warned that the world has only a limited window to prevent another major food crisis, stressing that proactive measures can help safeguard livelihoods and reduce the humanitarian impact.
Speaking to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr. Mohsen Abdullah Al-Yafei, Professor of Marine Environment at Qatar University, said the primary driver of El Niño is global warming, which raises ocean temperatures and contributes to more frequent and intense climate events.
He explained that the phenomenon is expected to be more than 60% stronger than the previous El Niño event and could continue into early 2027. Among its potential impacts are prolonged heatwaves, rising sea levels, floods, droughts, wildfires, declining agricultural production, coral reef degradation and disruptions to marine ecosystems.
Dr. Al-Yafei also warned that these climate impacts could have significant economic consequences, including higher food prices, increased insurance losses and damage to agriculture and fisheries.
Experts emphasise that effective early warning systems, climate-resilient farming practices and international cooperation remain critical to reducing the impact of El Niño and protecting communities most at risk.
What is El Niño?
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern caused by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. It disrupts global weather patterns and can trigger droughts in some regions while causing heavy rainfall, flooding and storms in others.
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