While the El Niño weather pattern is waning, an estimated 60 million people worldwide are suffering from the droughts, floods and forest fires linked to the phenomenon, says the United Nations. At a meeting in Rome, officials calculated $2.5 billion is needed in emergency aid and for disaster recovery work, but less than $1 billion was pledged. “El Niño-related effects have been felt across the globe since mid-2015,” said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, listing increased hunger, disease and poverty.
“People relying on livestock for their livelihoods are particularly vulnerable given the long time frame required to rebuild herd numbers which have been decimated by drought. Sparse or absent rains also result in a loss of soil productivity and greater land degradation, factors that contribute to desertification,” said FAO.