El Niño Could Kill 451,000
Researchers warn extreme El Niño heat could drive 451,000 extra deaths worldwide.
What happened
A new Climate Impact Lab report says the current super El Niño could cause about 451,000 excess heat-related deaths worldwide by February 2027, compared with a typical year. The report says the heat would compound other El Niño disasters, including droughts, wildfires and flooding. It also warns that today’s heat resembles temperatures climate change is expected to bring in about 20 years. Researchers say the event may become the strongest on record, pushing global land temperatures about 1.2 degrees Celsius above normal. Michael Greenstone said the forecast can help officials target emergency actions now, while Tamma Carleton called it a preview of future normal heat. Impacts could grow because El Niño may last into spring.
From the left
Left-leaning coverage cast the forecast as a looming mass-casualty heat disaster, stressing the scale of possible deaths. CNN cited the Climate Impact Lab saying the heat consequences could be devastating when added to fossil-fuel-driven warming. IFL Science emphasized the Global South as the hardest-hit region, with Africa bearing much of the burden.
From the right
Only one right-leaning outlet we track covered this: New York Post, under the headline “Hottest El Niño on record could kill up to 451,000 people in six months, scientists claim…”.
Report Warns Heat May Kill 451,000 People in First 9 Months of Super El Niño
The Record-Breaking "Super El Niño" Just Keeps Getting Gnarlier, With Warnings Of Over 451,000 Deaths Worldwide
