El Niño
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El Niño 2026: How Big Could It Get?
The current El Niño will break all sea-surface temperature records to date and will very likely deliver unprecedented weather-related impacts around the world.
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Climate Models Show El Niño Is Rapidly Strengthening
The World Meteorological Organization says a strong El Niño could drive extreme weather in many regions.
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You Asked: What Exactly Is a ‘Super’ El Niño?
Columbia Climate School experts explain what a strong El Niño could mean for the planet this year.
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Indonesia May Soon Lose Its Last Glaciers
Scientists estimate that Indonesia will lose its two remaining glaciers by 2030—a warning for glaciers around the world.
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Study of Extreme Indian Rainfall Upends Conventional Wisdom
While El Niño often brings drought conditions to India, a new paper shows that it also increases the likelihood of devastating downpours in some of the country’s most heavily populated regions.
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A Climate Change Signal in the Tropical Pacific
Research from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory has the world’s climate scientists rethinking their models.
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Part of the Pacific Ocean Is Not Warming as Expected. Why?
Climate models predict that as a result of human-induced climate change, the surface of the Pacific Ocean should be warming. But one key part is not.
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El Niño Arrives, Unfashionably Late
In February, the long-predicted El Niño event in the Pacific began to finally take shape. Here’s what it could mean for precipitation levels over the next few months.
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Researchers Say an 1800s Global Famine Could Happen Again
The Global Famine was one of the worst humanitarian disasters in history, killing as many people as World War II. A new analysis suggests it could happen again, only worse because of climate change.

COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More
