El Niño drought threatens Central America and global economies

A powerful El Niño weather pattern is causing devastating drought conditions across the Central American Dry Corridor, affecting Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. The extreme weather has led to widespread livestock deaths, barren crop fields, and severe shortages of food and water. In some regions, temperatures have reached record highs of 42C, leaving small-scale producers struggling to survive.

On a broader scale, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) warns that intensifying El Niño conditions pose an economy-wide threat that could persist into 2027. Officials emphasize that drought must be managed as a persistent risk to global food security, energy, trade, and public health rather than a periodic crisis. Data indicates that by the end of 2025, nearly 30 percent of the world’s land surface was experiencing drought, a significant increase from previous decades.