Climate shocks accelerating as El Niño threat looms over already vulnerable regions

The warning comes as climate pressures continue to mount worldwide, particularly in regions already experiencing fragile food systems and recurring humanitarian crises.

For example, new data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Thursday show that climate impacts intensified across Africa in 2025. 

According to the agency’s latest State of the Climate in Africa 2025 report, extreme weather and climate-related events affected at least 13 million people and caused more than 3,000 reported deaths across the continent last year.

Hazardous climate in Africa

Flooding remained the most frequently reported hazard, accounting for more than half of recorded weather events. 

Severe floods in Nigeria in May killed more than 200 people, while flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April caused over 160 deaths. Drought meanwhile continued to deepen hardship across parts of East Africa.

Africa is warming faster than the global average, glacier retreat is accelerating and sea level rise along sections of the continent’s coastline has exceeded global averages since 1999. 

Ice coverage on Mount Kilimanjaro has declined from 11.4 square kilometres in 1900 to less than one square kilometre in recent years.

Climate scientists warn that these shifts are increasing the frequency and severity of weather shocks, narrowing the window for preparedness and adaptation.

El Niño triggers disruption

Against this backdrop, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) warned that a potentially strong El Niño weather pattern expected to intensify through late 2026 and into next year could trigger another wave of climate-related disruption.

Changing rainfall patterns associated with El Niño are expected to bring drought to some regions and severe flooding to others, threatening harvests, livestock, water supplies and food production across Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The agencies cautioned that without early action, millions more people could face worsening food insecurity and livelihood losses.

UN agencies push for action

In response, FAO and WFP launched their first-ever Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal, seeking $202 million to help nearly 8.8 million people prepare for expected El Niño impacts.

The appeal is centred on acting ahead of time, delivering support before disasters strike rather than scaling up after crises unfold.

Planned interventions include cash assistance, distribution of drought and flood-resistant seeds, livestock protection measures, water storage systems, early warning messaging and climate advisories tailored to local conditions.

Systems are already in place to support about 1.2 million people expected to be affected by El Niño, but additional financing would allow operations to expand rapidly and reach another 7.6 million people across 22 priority countries.

Appeal for funding

FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol said experience has repeatedly shown that acting before crisis thresholds are reached is both more effective and less costly than emergency response after disasters unfold.

WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau warned that the international community has only a narrow window to prevent another major food crisis.

“We now have the tools to anticipate these events, what matters is how we act with that” he said, stressing that acting quickly is critical to protect families before livelihoods are lost.

The agencies noted that the funding appeal comes at a difficult moment for humanitarian operations globally, as needs continue to rise while aid budgets remain under growing pressure.