May 2026 was the world's second-hottest May on record, EU scientists confirmed, as an El Niño event officially formed in the Pacific Ocean. Meteorologists warn the El Niño, described as nature's chaotic climate agent, has formed in a warmed-up Pacific and is expected to grow to historic strength. The findings raise fears of extreme weather events and higher global temperatures. Separately, a study found that four days of extreme rain killed 7% of the world's rarest orangutans, and Indonesia braces for rising forest fire risks from the dry season.
Arctic sea ice reached its lowest winter maximum ever recorded in 2026, with the annual peak hitting just 13.76 million square kilometers on March 13, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. The record low comes amid unprecedented global heat, with scientists racing to understand the implications for weather patterns, wildlife, and coastal communities. Meanwhile, the EPA eased limits on coal plant mercury emissions, and a California community faces glacial lake outburst flood threats for the third consecutive year.
NASA satellite data from the Landsat program reveals that mangrove forests are now expanding globally after decades of decline, according to a comprehensive study of global mangrove extent from 1984 to 2023. Conservation efforts and natural regeneration are reversing losses. Meanwhile, the expanded World Cup faces scrutiny over climate emissions, the EPA is speeding up clean air permits for power plants, and AI datacenters are increasingly being built on drought-hit land.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that a looming El Niño will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world as the World Meteorological Organization forecasts 80% odds of the climate pattern developing by August. Sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific are currently 6°C above average, and the event compounds long-term human-caused climate change.
A new UN Food and Agriculture Organization report reveals that the average person now eats six times more chicken than in 1961. Global meat supply has quadrupled in 60 years. Poultry consumption rose from under 3 kg per person to 17 kg per person. Critics say the report avoids recommending that wealthy nations cut meat consumption.
The UN has warned that a new El Niño weather pattern could form within weeks, with an 80% chance of developing before September 2026 and a 90% chance of persisting through at least November. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world. Scientists say the event could be one of the strongest in decades, bringing extreme rain, drought, and record temperatures.
Europe is experiencing a deadly early-season heatwave that scientists described as "mind-bogglingly crazy," with records falling across the continent. Separately, the U.S. Trump administration is abandoning a vital deep-sea monitoring system for the AMOC ocean current, which scientists fear could be nearing a tipping point. The world has entered "water bankruptcy" with irreversible consequences, the UN warned.
A severe heatwave driven by a heat dome over western and central Europe broke hundreds of temperature records in late May and early June, with some records demolished by margins of up to 5 degrees Celsius. Portugal hit 40.3C, its hottest May day ever. England recorded 35.1C, its earliest 35C day in history.
Portugal recorded its hottest May day in history as a dangerous heatwave swept across western Europe, with temperatures exceeding 43°C in some areas. Red alerts were issued in Italy and southern France, while French students took exams in baking-hot classrooms without air conditioning. Scientists said the extreme temperatures were caused by a combination of a heat dome and human-caused climate change, with records being not just broken but smashed across the continent.
A severe spring heatwave is sweeping across Europe, shattering temperature records and raising alarms among climate scientists. The United Kingdom recorded its hottest May day on record with temperatures above 35°C (95°F) in London. Climate stations across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland reported temperatures exceeding the previous record of 32.8°C set in 1922. The World Meteorological Organization warns that heat kills more Europeans annually than car crashes. World Environment Day on June 5 will focus on climate action.