Study finds climate change made El Nino 40% stronger
El Nino, the climate pattern that messes with weather around the world, is now 40% stronger than it was before industrial times, and climate change is to blame.
A new study led by Julia Cole at the University of Michigan used coral records from the Galapagos to track ocean temperatures.
As Cole put it, "Global warming is supercharging El Nino," making extreme weather like floods and wildfires even more intense.
Researchers urge fossil fuel emissions cuts
Scientists found that natural factors alone can't explain why El Nino has gotten so much worse; human-driven warming is the main culprit.
The study warns that if these trends continue, we could see bigger hits to farming, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
The researchers say cutting fossil fuel emissions now is key to keeping things from getting even more out of control.