Search Climate Insights Directory

The document discusses the devastating impact of peatland fires in Indonesia, exacerbated by El Niño and agribusiness drainage, and supports President Subianto Prabowo's proposal to classify these acts as "ecological terrorism."

The 2026 wildfire season has seen record-breaking burn areas, with roughly 579,000 square miles burned globally in the first four months. This trend is driven by a powerful El Niño, hydroclimate 'whiplash', and the expansion of fires into previously immune regions. These conditions have led to over 110 military deployments across 49 countries between January and July 2026, straining defense priorities and threatening critical infrastructure. The document analyzes different military response models—ranging from Spain's dedicated standing unit (UME) to Indonesia's integrated civilian-military approach—and recommends expanding collaborative models, investing in joint training, and building international interoperability to manage wildfires as a standing security challenge.

The document warns that a record-breaking El Niño event is being leveraged by disinformation campaigns to attribute extreme weather to natural cycles rather than fossil fuel emissions. It highlights the resulting food insecurity risks in Central America, Southern Africa, and South Asia, while arguing that the most effective defense against climate denial is not fact-checking, but the support of community-led information networks in places like Colombia, Nepal, and Nigeria.

The document outlines the expected impacts of El Niño across Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting risks such as water shortages in Colombia, agricultural losses in Mexico and Central America, and fisheries disruptions in the South Pacific. It emphasizes that while El Niño is a natural phenomenon, climate change intensifies its effects, leading to more frequent extreme weather events. The guide also lists specific resources, expert contacts, and training programs for journalists covering these issues.

Climate change accounted for 27% of the rate of heat-related emergency room visits in the U.S. during 2018-2025. August 2026 was the warmest August on record globally, with record warmth affecting 13.2% of global land and ocean areas. In the U.S., Summer 2026 was the warmest on record for the contiguous region, and August 2026 was the warmest August for average, maximum, and minimum temperatures since 1895. Drought affected at least 81% of the contiguous U.S. as of September 8, 2026, and nearly 8.3 million acres burned year-to-date, driven by increased 'fire weather' days. Attribution analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates human-caused climate change drove summertime warming trends in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities. Additionally, a strong El Niño event is projected to peak around February 2027, with global temperature anomalies potentially reaching 1.7C above pre-industrial levels.

The report analyzes a severe heatwave in July 2026 characterized by record-shattering Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) values across the eastern US and Canada. Attribution analysis indicates that while the atmospheric circulation pattern (a 'heat dome') is characteristic of the region, the intensity of the event was substantially increased by a background climate that has warmed by 1.4°C due to fossil fuel combustion. The study emphasizes that humid heat extremes are an emerging risk, as WBGT is increasing more rapidly than absolute maximum or minimum temperatures. It also highlights the disproportionate vulnerability of low-income residents, outdoor workers, and those in historically redlined urban districts, while noting the critical role of heat action plans and cooling centers in mitigating mortality.

A coalition of 70 organizations warns that a 'Super El Niño'—a phenomenon not seen since 1870—will cause extreme rainfall, floods, and droughts in Brazil. The letter criticizes the government's history of reacting only after disasters and its tendency to prioritize economically valued central urban areas over peripheries inhabited by Black, quilombola, and traditional populations. The authors demand transformational climate adaptation that prioritizes racial and gender equity, secure housing over forced removals, and the integration of community-led risk management into federal policy. Specific requests for information and meetings are directed to the Casa Civil, the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Cities.

Malawi is a low-income, landlocked country in Southern Africa facing severe economic and climatic vulnerabilities. Despite a stable democratic governance structure and the long-term 'Malawi Vision 2063' blueprint, the nation struggles with high poverty rates, a heavy reliance on agriculture, and significant fiscal deficits. Recent shocks, including El Niño-induced droughts in 2024 and the 2025 freezing of USAID funds, have exacerbated food insecurity and budgetary pressures.

The briefing warns that Pacific SIDS are facing a convergence of geopolitical and climatic crises. The war in Iran is driving up fuel and food prices due to shipping disruptions and import dependence, leading to states of emergency in Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. This economic strain is expected to be compounded by a strong El Niño in the second half of 2026, which threatens tuna stocks, freshwater access, and agricultural productivity. The document recommends immediate anticipatory action, such as pre-positioning supplies and expanding early warning systems, alongside long-term investments in regenerative agriculture and regional fisheries management.

The document describes El Niño as a natural climate phenomenon characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. It argues that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme El Niño events, particularly Central-Pacific (CP) events, and complicating their prediction. For 2026, there is a 61% chance of an El Niño emerging between May and July, with some models suggesting it could be the strongest in 140 years. The briefing details global teleconnections, noting that El Niño typically causes droughts in southern Africa, Australia, and India, while increasing flood risks in East Africa and the Americas. These shifts significantly impact global agriculture, reducing yields for maize, rice, and wheat while often increasing soybean yields. Regional analysis highlights specific risks, such as increased cholera in East Africa, hydropower reductions at Kariba Dam in Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the Amazon becoming a net carbon source during Eastern-Pacific (EP) events.

April 2026 was the fourth-warmest month globally on record, with the contiguous U.S. experiencing its third-warmest April. The report highlights severe drought in the Southeast U.S., record-low Western snowpack, and a persistent marine heat wave off the coasts of California and Mexico. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the analysis attributes springtime warming trends in 98% of analyzed U.S. cities to human-caused climate change, with exceptional warmth noted in Honolulu and San Juan. Forecasts indicate a high probability of a strong El Niño developing later in 2026, potentially driving global temperature anomalies above 1.8°C relative to pre-industrial levels by early 2027.

The document, prepared by Paraguay for the 33rd meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Asunción, argues that the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) meets the criteria under Article XI of the IAI Agreement to become an Associate. It highlights the WMO's regional presence in the Americas, its global leadership in climate cooperation through the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), and a history of collaboration with the IAI since 2022, including joint research on health, climate, and drought management.

The study identifies increasing dryness in the Coquimbo region of Chile, particularly during spring and summer, noting that the frequency and duration of extreme dry events have increased over recent decades.

The text emphasizes that Brazil's vast size and climatic diversity require detailed observational studies to distinguish between natural variability and long-term climate change. It highlights that interannual variability, driven largely by El Niño and La Niña, can alter seasonal rainfall in the Amazon by a factor of more than four. The author cautions that most precipitation trends in Brazil are linked to interdecadal oscillations—such as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO)—rather than global warming. Additionally, the document notes a trend of increasing air temperatures in the tropics of South America since 1948, contrasting with a negative trend in the subtropics since the mid-1990s, and mentions the influence of land-use change and biomass burning on air temperature in the Amazon and Cerrado.

The study analyzed climate data from 1960 to 2014 on the northern coast of the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina, using Fast Fourier Transform and the Standardized Precipitation Index. Key findings include a 0.9 ºC increase in average air temperature and a reduction in maximum average wind speed by 7.5 km h-1 between 1986 and 2010. The research also identified wet and dry cycles in relative humidity and precipitation linked to El Niño and La Niña events, providing a basis for a sustainable land management plan.

The study found that the areal variation of shallow lakes in Argentina's temperate plains between 2002 and 2011 was more dependent on rainfall regime changes linked to ENSO events than on changes in land use intensity.

The study finds that the 2015/16 El Niño led to a 4% increase in global burned area and a 5% increase in fire emissions compared to a 'No El Niño' scenario, resulting in a 4% reduction in the terrestrial carbon sink. South America experienced the most significant impact, with a 13% increase in burned area and emitted carbon, primarily driven by temperature increases between August and October in central-southern Brazil.

The document reports that human-induced warming of 1.3°C contributed to record-breaking temperatures, floods, and droughts in 2024, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of displacements. It highlights that climate change added an average of 41 dangerous heat days globally and often overrode natural phenomena like El Niño. The report calls for a rapid transition from fossil fuels, improved early warning systems, real-time heat death reporting, and increased finance for developing countries to support adaptation.

The project introduced seasonal climate forecasts and crop growth models to soybean producers in Paraguay and Brazil to manage risks associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability. By collaborating with local cooperatives, the project developed an internet-based climate information system using a probabilistic approach to help farmers make informed decisions regarding planting dates and variety selection. The initiative gained strong producer support, leading three cooperatives to fund weather stations.

The study analyzes severe flooding in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran during April and May 2024, which caused hundreds of deaths and significant infrastructure damage. While the event occurred outside the typical winter rainfall season, researchers found that a declining El Niño increased the likelihood of such rainfall by approximately two times and intensity by about 8% compared to neutral years. The analysis concludes that human-induced climate change cannot be definitively attributed as the main driver due to discrepancies between observational data and climate model signals, although a 40-year observational trend shows an increase in heavy rainfall. The report emphasizes that high vulnerability—driven by deforestation, unplanned urban expansion, and limited water management—exacerbated the disaster's impact.