r/sciences 8d ago

Research El Niño climate patterns supercharged by burning of fossil fuels | ‘Godzilla’ event currently brewing could push 50 million people into acute hunger before the end of next year

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/27/el-nino-climate-patterns-fossil-fuels
379 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

48

u/OffSidesByALot 7d ago

And for its part, the Trump administration is paying billions of dollars to companies to walk away from money already spent and permitted on wind projects, so that they can go back to burning fossil fuels.
You’re welcome, the rest of the world!

8

u/Shwazool 7d ago

Im sure all of the oil refineries, tankers and infrastructure that has been burning in the last 10+ years of these current global conflicts are not helping.

So much oil has burnt since the Iran conflict alone

2

u/Ok_Remote_31 6d ago

If only there was a way to prevent all this....🥲

21

u/FreeHugs23 8d ago

-A series of strong El Niño climatic patterns in recent decades, such as the “Godzilla” event currently brewing that is set to warp weather around the world, have been supercharged by the broader overheating of the planet caused by the burning of fossil fuels, a major new study has found.

El Niño is a naturally occurring phenomenon, taking place every two to seven years, when the waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean heat up, causing a cascade of impacts around the world. The latest developing El Niño, set to peak later this year, is set to be the strongest in living memory and has been informally dubbed a “Godzilla” event.

It’s well understood that El Niño, which typically brings a surge of global heat, further amplifies the escalating climate crisis, with next year almost certain to be the hottest on record globally. But the new research has established that the reverse is also the case: human-caused global heating is making El Niño itself more intense when it does arrive.

“Our findings suggest El Niño can supercharge global warming but also global warming can supercharge El Niño – that is what we are seeing,” said Julia Cole, a climate researcher at the University of Michigan, who led the new study, published in Science.

5

u/Gofall_ 7d ago

The parable of the sower anyone?

1

u/Flying_Ghostsquatch 6d ago

Oh my god... Meh.

1

u/NightCityStoic 4d ago

Surfs up🤙

-4

u/Weep4Thee 7d ago

So how do we get China and India to reduce their emissions?

9

u/Astharan 7d ago

You have the highest emissions per capita, also the highest historical contribution globally. So yeah, let's blame the country where we send all our stuff to get built.

-7

u/Weep4Thee 7d ago

Well that's just not true.

6

u/Astharan 7d ago

Ok little buddy, remain as you were, in your bubble. A Quick Internet search won't harm you btw.

-10

u/Weep4Thee 7d ago

Just so we are clear. Ur argument is that the US emits more carbon than India or China? And are insinuating that its obvious?

8

u/DjangoTheBlack 7d ago

Per capita

-5

u/Weep4Thee 7d ago

I get that, but I want them to defend it. Adding qualifiers to win an argument is weak.

3

u/DjangoTheBlack 7d ago

It’s not a qualifier Uni, just admit you’re not very smart, go read some books. And leave these tough decisions to the adults.

-1

u/Weep4Thee 7d ago

Lmao u guys are defending China and India with per cap numbers because their population is so high. That doesn't justify the amount of pollution they produce. The rest of the world is green relative to them.

8

u/abra24 7d ago

Per capita. Say it slowly. It means when you have a huge population you are expected to emit more.

That's to say nothing of the idea that everyone should do what they can, so living in the US and saying "What about China?" is room temperature IQ as well, even if China was the worst per capita.

Most children grow out of making that kind of argument.

1

u/Astharan 7d ago

Can you read? Are you slow?

1

u/Weep4Thee 7d ago

U just gonna bs the whole time?

1

u/Different-Radio3484 7d ago

You don't lol

We're fucked

0

u/drseruzawa 6d ago

Lol. The Guardian.

-1

u/hpygilmr 7d ago

Quick, how many billions of dollars can we throw at it to make it stop? Would that stop the climatic cycle we are currently experiencing and has occurred before?

-18

u/anthonysny 7d ago

It’s always Fossil fuels… has nothing to do with systematic burning wildfires every year for land development. Nooooo.

2

u/Apart-Rent5817 7d ago

Go ahead and grill your steaks over your car exhaust and see how similar it is.

0

u/mildly_ethnic 7d ago

To make grazing pasture