El Niño may push climate past 1.5C threshold

Scientists warn that the upcoming El Niño event, combined with ongoing human-caused warming, could permanently push the planet's average temperature past the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold. This threshold marks a tipping point for potentially irreversible climate impacts. A strong El Niño can trigger abrupt and lasting changes in global weather patterns, intensifying heat, drought, and storms. The event acts as a major release valve for ocean heat, significantly impacting ecosystems, fisheries, and agriculture worldwide. Even if temperatures temporarily dip below 1.5C after El Niño, scientists doubt a full return to pre-industrial levels.