El Niño tests the world’s ability to adapt to climate change

El Niño has strengthened on an already warmer planet, increasing the risk of droughts, floods and crop failures in some of the world’s major food-producing regions. But, unlike many disasters, this one can be seen coming. A U.N. expert says the next few months offer countries an opportunity not only to protect our food security, but also to prepare for the future of an increasingly unpredictable climate.

A cold and rainy morning in New York on Tuesday greeted the presidents and prime ministers who arrived at the United Nations headquarters for the start of the 81st General Debate. Official motorcades, security vehicles and delegations followed one another around the complex as one of the most intense days of the diplomatic calendar began. Inside, leaders came and went between the General Assembly, bilateral meetings and a busy schedule of events, including on climate change. This global challenge appeared, in one form or another, in much of the speeches and conversations: droughts, floods, extreme heat, rising sea levels and growing pressure on food and water. All are risks that El Niño threatens to intensify. The weather phenomenon, which originates thousands of kilometers away in the tropical Pacific, has strengthened again, with consequences on rainfall, heat and food production in different regions.

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