UN chief warns strengthening El Niño could set record heat

U.N. Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that a strengthening El Niño is poised to break all‑time temperature records, “adding fuel to a planet already on fire” and thrusting the world into “uncharted territory.” The statement came as climate scientists released updated forecasts indicating that sea‑surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific are rising faster than in any previous El Niño episode, raising concerns about amplified heat extremes worldwide.

The intensified El Niño is expected to intensify heatwaves, droughts and wildfires across multiple continents, disrupt agricultural production, and strain water supplies, according to the World Meteorological Organization and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Early projections suggest that global average temperatures could exceed 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial levels for extended periods, potentially triggering record‑breaking heat events in Europe, North America and Asia. Guterres called the situation a clear signal that immediate, coordinated climate mitigation and adaptation measures are essential to reduce the humanitarian and economic impacts of the approaching climate shock.