RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres urged countries around the world to prepare for the risks emphasized that the world must treat El Niño as an urgent climate warning. According to him, the phenomenon has the potential to exacerbate the impacts of global warming that have already occurred and increase the risk of extreme weather disasters in various regions.

"The only effective response is climate action commensurate with the crisis, ending dependence on fossil fuels, accelerating the transition to renewable energy, protecting the most vulnerable, and providing early warning systems for all," Guterres stated on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Based on the update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the likelihood of El Niño occurring reaches 80 percent during the period from June to August 2026 and increases to 90 percent in the following months. The WMO assesses that this phenomenon will be one of the main factors influencing global weather and climate patterns in the near future.

WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, said that the impact of El Niño is not only felt in the Pacific Ocean region but can also affect the agricultural sector, energy supply, trade, water resources, supply chains, and the livelihoods of people in various parts of the world.

He also reminded that the surface temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean is currently recorded at about six degrees Celsius above average. These conditions raise concerns that El Niño could worsen heatwaves and various extreme weather events that threaten the most vulnerable communities.

"The last El Niño in 2023-2024 was one of the five strongest El Niños ever recorded and contributed to the global temperature record set in 2024," he said.

The WMO emphasizes that there is no evidence that climate change increases the frequency or intensity of El Niño. However, the warming atmosphere and oceans can amplify the impacts of the phenomenon by providing more energy and moisture for the occurrence of heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and other extreme weather events.