China warns strong El Nino this year may worsen global fossil fuel crisis

This year’s El Nino could increase the global demand for fossil fuels and worsen the price rises caused by the Iran crisis, Chinese government scientists have said.

The climate phenomenon happens every two to seven years and causes an increase in average global temperatures.

A strong El Nino can bring either droughts or torrential rains and flooding, both of which may force hydropower stations to reduce their output or shut down entirely – increasing the need for other power sources, including oil and gas.

“El Nino could hit hydropower-dependent regions hard, pushing them to burn more fossil fuels for electricity instead. That would raise both carbon emissions and the cost of imported energy, creating a damaging loop that worsens climate change and strains economies,” said Wang Yaqi, a senior engineer at the National Climate Centre.

The China Meteorological Administration said on Saturday that moderate-to-strong El Nino conditions were forecast to emerge globally next month and develop throughout the rest of the year.

The warning follows the sharp rise in global oil prices caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has prompted the closure of the Strait of Hormuz – a key shipping route for global energy supplies.

South China Morning Post