The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
"World should prepare for El Nino development, associated with increased heat and drought", says WMO
The El Niño weather pattern is likely to develop later this year and could contribute to rising global temperatures, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
This would have the opposite impacts on weather and climate patterns in many regions of the world than the three-year period of La Niña that just ended and which often lowers global temperatures.
“The next few months from May to July, we have a 60% chance to enter into an El Niño phase. This likelihood will increase to 70% if we look at the period from July to August and even to 80% if we go past August. But of course, beyond, we can't say much,” said Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO’s regional climate prediction services division. “Of course, this will change the weather and climate pattern worldwide.”
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It occurs on average every two to seven years, and episodes usually last nine to 12 months.
“The warmest year was 2016, according to our report. So, we are expecting in the coming two years to have a serious increase in the global temperature,” reported Mr. Okia.
According to WMO’s State of the Global Climate reports, 2016 is the warmest year on record because of the “double whammy” of a very powerful El Niño event and human-induced warming from greenhouse gases.
“We just had the eight warmest years on record and three of those were La Niña years. So, this just gives you an indication of the climate context we're in,” said Clare Nullis, WMO’s spokesperson, quoting WMO’s Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.
According to WMO’s Professor Taalas, the world should prepare for the development of El Niño, which is often associated with increased heat, drought or rainfall in different parts of the world. It might bring relief from the drought in the Horn of Africa and other La Niña- related impacts but could also trigger more extreme weather and climate events.
“The state of the ocean is the warmest and we are currently in the so-called neutral phase of the El Niño oscillation whereby basically we left the state of the La Niña, and we are moving toward a different state,” said WMO’s Wilfran Moufouma Okia.
El Niño and La Niña are major – but not the only - drivers of the Earth’s climate system.
-ends-
STORY: WMO- EL Niño update
TRT: 01’41”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 03 May 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Wide shot of podium, speakers, conference room, Palais des Nations, Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO regional climate prediction services division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The next few months from May to July, we have a 60% chance to enter into an El Niño phase. This likelihood will increase to 70% if we look at the period from July to August and even to 80% if we go past August. But of course, beyond, we can't say much. That's where we are. Of course, this will change the weather and climate pattern worldwide.”
- Wide shot, laptop screen in foreground with podium, speakers and monitor in background, conference room, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO regional climate prediction services division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The warmest year was 2016, according to our report. So we are expecting in the coming two years to have a serious increase in the global temperature.”
- Wide shot: camera person, tripod
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Clare Nullis World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “We just had the eight warmest years on record and three of those were La Niña years. So this just gives you an indication of the climate context we're in.”
- Wide shot: podium and speakers, technicians in background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO regional climate prediction services division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The state of the ocean is the warmest and we are currently in the so-called neutral phase of the El Niño oscillation whereby basically we left the state of the La Niña, and we are moving toward a different state.”
- Medium shot: speakers at podium, conference room
- Close up: camera
- Medium shot: journalist typing
- Wide shot: camera operator, podium
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the International Organization for Migration, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Meteorological Organization, the World Health Organization, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.
2
3
2
Press Conferences | WMO
Launch of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)'s Air Quality and Climate Bulletin 2024.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
The UN disability rights committee (CRPD) presented the findings of its 33rd session on DPRK, Finland, Kiribati, Maldives and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
UN Human Rights Council President Ambassador Jürg Lauber briefs the press in Geneva ahead of the Council's 60th session.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNFPA
Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the International Federation of the Red Cross.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR
Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’
In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.