Extreme El Niños are coming. Reaching net zero sooner means facing fewer of them

Key points

• Research suggests extreme El Niño years will become more common as the world warms, driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists say the tropical Pacific could remain in an El Niño-like state for centuries, even after net zero is reached.
• Models show the longer the delay in reaching net zero, the more extreme El Niños are likely to occur.
• The findings suggest a slower route to net zero could bring more risks and higher costs for future generations.