Donate

El Niño

Global average CO2 concentrations rose at a record rate in 2016 to more than 403 parts per million up from 400.00 ppm in 2015, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Concentrations of CO2 are now nearly 50% higher than pre-industrial levels.

There’s more CO2 in the atmosphere now than any point in almost a million years

Science

The World Meteorological Organization says atmospheric concentrations of CO2 surged to a new record level in 2016. That puts even greater pressure for countries to cut carbon pollution to avoid catastrophic climate change.

El Niobium's heat

Will El Niño return in 2017?

Environment
Lions

Why lions can feast during a drought

Environment
Ethiopian drought/water jugs

In Ethiopia and other countries, drought related to El Niño is causing a hunger crisis

Global Politics
Mavis, a housekeeper from the Pretoria township of Mamelodi, depends on her garden to help provide for her five children and seven grandchildren. But with this year's region-wide drought, her garden is just a dusty patch of seedlings. “I want rain every d

For one South African house cleaner, this year’s big drought means crying, hungry children

Environment
Tell us about your experience accessing The World

We want to hear your feedback so we can keep improving our website, theworld.org. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (your answers will be anonymous). Thanks for your time!

Measuring the snowpack

January snows in the Sierras ease, but will not end, California’s drought

Environment

The weather pattern known as El Niño has brought some much-needed rain and snow to the parched California landscape. Still, water experts caution, California should prepare for an extended period of drought conditions.

Brazilian soldiers distribute educational flyers about the Zika virus in São Paulo, the country's largest city.

Zika is a window into a much bigger story in Brazil

Environment

It’s a story about mosquitoes, public health, water and women, which is why The World has sent its Across Womens’ Lives team to Brazil. They’re there to report on how Zika fits into the story of Brazilian women’s struggles to improve their lives in a time of rapid and often disturbing environmental change.

El Niño from NOAA

The current El Niño may hold lessons for how to deal with a warming planet

Environment

As scientists have been predicting since 2014, a powerful El Niño in the Pacific ocean is triggering extreme weather events and changes in weather patterns around the world. Some climate scientists are saying the lessons learned from this El Niño could help the world cope with the weather changes we can expect from climate change.

A sea surface temperature anomaly in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the peak of the 2009-10 El Niño.

El Niño is back, and global temperature records are in danger

Environment

El Niño is back. That could mean trouble for crops from Africa to Australia, drought relief for Brazil and California — and new record global temperatures as the Pacific Ocean warms up and brings the heat along with it.

El Niño Makes Atlantic hurricanes less likely.

Welcome to the ‘Double El Niño’ — and more extreme weather

Environment

A second helping of El Niño could help usher in the next phase of global warming. When it comes, the consequences could be devastating.

We respect your time, attention and privacy

This is a news website, not a click casino. We do NOT employ deceptive behaviors, display annoying ads or use third party cookies and trackers to monetize your visit or help advertisers track you across the internet.

Simply, we ask that you would consider a donation to support the journalism we produce every weekday. Thank you.

This is The World

The World is a public radio program and podcast that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter.

Follow The World

Subscribe to The World’s Latest Edition podcast for free using your favorite podcast player: