May 2026: second-hottest on record as El Niño arrives
May 2026 was the world's second-hottest May on record, EU scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed Thursday. The data arrives as meteorologists announced that an El Niño event has officially formed in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists describe El Niño as nature's chaotic climate agent, and warn it has formed in a warmed-up Pacific and is expected to grow to historic strength, amplifying the effects of climate change.
Extreme weather devastates wildlife: orangutans hit hard
Four days of extreme rain killed 7% of the world's rarest orangutans, a new study found. Climate change-induced weather events are pushing already endangered orangutan populations toward extinction, researchers warned. The torrential rainfall destroyed habitats and food sources in the primates' remaining forest strongholds, highlighting how even short-term extreme weather events can have catastrophic effects on vulnerable species.
Indonesia braces for forest fires as dry season looms
Indonesia is bracing for rising forest fire risks from the upcoming dry season, the country's weather agency said. The El Niño conditions are expected to exacerbate drought conditions across Southeast Asia, increasing the likelihood of severe fire seasons similar to those that blanketed the region in haze in previous years. US pastors are also preaching environmental stewardship as the Trump administration continues to roll back environmental regulations.