UN prepares $100 million emergency fund as strong El Niño looms

The United Nations announced it is ready to release up to $100 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to address the anticipated impacts of a very strong El Niño. Humanitarian coordinator Tom Fletcher warned that the upcoming episode could exceed the severity of the 2023‑2024 event, bringing extreme heat, droughts and floods to vulnerable regions in Latin America, eastern and southern Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

Meteorological agencies, including NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization, estimate an 81 % chance that El Niño will become “very strong” before the end of the year, potentially the most intense since records began in 1950 and likely to persist into 2027. The climate anomaly is expected to disrupt global energy markets – reducing wind and solar output in the United States, China and India, lowering natural‑gas demand in North America, and affecting maritime routes such as the Panama Canal, which is already conserving water in its Gatún reservoir.

Agricultural sectors are also at risk: rice yields in India and Thailand, cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire, wheat in Australia and soybeans in Argentina could suffer, while some regions may see temporary gains. Analysts advise close monitoring of electricity, gas and shipping markets as the phenomenon develops.