Drought, food shortages and deadly heat: El Niño has ended but its impacts are still being felt

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Australia's weather bureau has announced that the recent El Niño event, which began in June last year, has ended due to substantially cooled temperatures in the Pacific
• This phenomenon had warmed Pacific waters, contributing to global temperature records and severe weather impacts worldwide

🔭 The context: El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern characterized by the warming of ocean water in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean
• Its effects ripple globally, altering weather patterns and often exacerbating extreme weather conditions such as droughts, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The recent El Niño has intensified weather-related disasters globally, affecting water availability and energy production, especially in regions reliant on hydropower like South America 
• These impacts underscore the vulnerability of our infrastructure and natural resources to climate phenomena

⏭️ What's next: With the end of El Niño, climate scientists will be monitoring global temperatures to discern how much of the recent warming can be attributed to ongoing global warming versus the temporary effects of El Niño. The next few months will be crucial for this analysis.

💬 One quote: "Each kilowatt and each drop of water that are not consumed will help us face this reality," stated Ecuador's Ministry of Energy, highlighting the severe energy challenges posed by drought conditions exacerbated by El Niño.

📈 One stat: March marked the tenth consecutive month of setting new global heat records, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service.

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