UN Warns Global Humanitarian Systems Cannot Handle Powerful El Niño Alone
(MENAFN) The opportunity to prepare for an exceptionally strong El Niño remains available in many parts of the world, but United Nations officials warned Wednesday that humanitarian organizations cannot manage a disaster of this magnitude without broader international support.
"The window for preparedness is still open in many regions. Extreme weather conditions do not need to translate into humanitarian emergencies or into casualties, but this window will not remain open indefinitely," World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo told reporters in Geneva.
Saulo cautioned that the developing El Niño event could reach unprecedented intensity, potentially surpassing the monitoring scales used over the past four decades.
The WMO projects that temperatures at the ocean surface in the tropical Pacific could climb to 3.8°C (6.84°F) above average between November 2026 and January 2027. Such conditions could trigger droughts, flooding and severe heat across different parts of the world.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that the climate phenomenon could leave 50 million people facing heightened food insecurity, with potential repercussions across Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
"I'm sounding the alarm that the humanitarian system, this community of ours, cannot alone cope with a threat on this scale," Fletcher said alongside Saulo.
He called for a coordinated international response involving national governments, development banks, researchers, civil society organizations and private businesses to strengthen preparations for the anticipated impacts.
"The window for preparedness is still open in many regions. Extreme weather conditions do not need to translate into humanitarian emergencies or into casualties, but this window will not remain open indefinitely," World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo told reporters in Geneva.
Saulo cautioned that the developing El Niño event could reach unprecedented intensity, potentially surpassing the monitoring scales used over the past four decades.
The WMO projects that temperatures at the ocean surface in the tropical Pacific could climb to 3.8°C (6.84°F) above average between November 2026 and January 2027. Such conditions could trigger droughts, flooding and severe heat across different parts of the world.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that the climate phenomenon could leave 50 million people facing heightened food insecurity, with potential repercussions across Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
"I'm sounding the alarm that the humanitarian system, this community of ours, cannot alone cope with a threat on this scale," Fletcher said alongside Saulo.
He called for a coordinated international response involving national governments, development banks, researchers, civil society organizations and private businesses to strengthen preparations for the anticipated impacts.
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