Failed harvests, water shortages and worsening hunger are threatening lives on a massive scale, at a time when humanitarian funding is stretched to breaking point.
Global humanitarian funding to El Niño critically insufficient, says Oxfam Ireland
El Niño’s intensity is likely to peak from this month until April next year, with scientists widely reporting that it could be the strongest on record.
Global funding for the preparation and response to El Niño and the harms it will bring to millions of people is critically insufficient, Oxfam warned today.
The weather phenomenon is already having a catastrophic impact across much of the world, with wildfires, crop failures and growing severe food and water insecurity.
Ireland is not immune to its effects, though Central America, Asia and South America are heavily affected. Disruptions to the global food supply chain and energy supply are to be expected, as well as the growing flood damage in Ireland from intense storms.
The total global funding required for El Nino humanitarian preparation and response is currently $450 million. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated up to $100 million and has to date disbursed $20 million to six countries.
The majority of the remaining $350 million is reliant on appeals and less than 20 per cent has so far been pledged. By comparison, the previous strongest El Niño in 2015-2016 – when more than 60 million people were affected – triggered a $5 billion collective appeal, of which nearly $2 billion was successfully raised.
“While El Niño's most devastating impacts will be felt in some of the world's poorest countries, Ireland is not insulated from this crisis. We have seen first-hand in recent years how flooding and extreme weather events can disrupt communities, damage homes and livelihoods, and place enormous pressure on local services."
— Jim Clarken, Oxfam Ireland CEO
Oxfam Ireland CEO Jim Clarken added:
"For millions of people across Africa, Asia and Latin America, the consequences are severe. Failed harvests, water shortages and worsening hunger are threatening lives on a massive scale, at a time when humanitarian funding is stretched to breaking point. The deeply unfair reality is that those contributing least to the climate crisis are shouldering the heaviest burden. Ireland – as a wealthy nation - and the EU must continue to support humanitarian action and climate finance while backing efforts to build flooding and storm resilience domestically. Pre-emptive action is crucial."
Many low and middle-income countries are already in precarious positions because of debt, poverty, weak public services and, in some cases, conflict.
Cuts to international aid and climate finance over the last three years have seriously weakened support:
Rainfall from June to September in South Sudan has been substantially below average. Nearly eight million people – more than half the population – are facing acute food insecurity. Nearly 2 million of those with acute malnutrition are children.
Across Asia and the Pacific, lack of rain is already affecting millions of people. In Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga, there is drought, water shortages, desiccated plantations and heightened wildfire risk. In Sri Lanka, high temperatures and lack of rain is causing the worst drought in a decade.
Across Latin America, 16 million more people are expected to experience food insecurity in the coming months. In Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, Oxfam's recent assessment found that more than 70,000 farming households reported maize crop losses, with nearly four in five losing between 75 and 100 per cent of their harvest.
In Southwest Asia and North Africa, more than eight million people in Syria and Palestine have acute levels of food insecurity, while Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia are all experiencing recurrent droughts.
In order to cope over the coming months, Oxfam has been redesigning and reprioritising its humanitarian programming with partners across multiple countries:
In the Philippines, partnering with forecasting agencies for early warning, installing water storage in communities where there have been significant declines in rainfall and building preparedness capacity with communities.
In Timor Leste and Indonesia, supporting vulnerable communities through water conservation initiatives and climate smart agriculture practices,
In Kenya, working with community-based organisations, youth responders and residents in flood-risk zones to map local risks and establish resilience hubs. Also, planning for cash transfers, emergency shelter materials, women dignity kits and water and sanitation support.
In Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, providing cash transfers, vouchers and food assistance, strengthening early warning systems and supporting community seed banks. Oxfam is also generating evidence to inform food security analyses and humanitarian decision-making.
Oxfam Ireland is calling for immediate increases in investments for domestic adaptation, resilient food systems, water security and locally-led responses.
Oxfam has been allocated €1.48m for El Niño response activities in Central America: €1m from the European Union's humanitarian aid department, ECHO, and €480k from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, AECID).
“While El Niño's most devastating impacts will be felt in some of the world's poorest countries, Ireland is not insulated from this crisis. We have seen first-hand in recent years how flooding and extreme weather events can disrupt communities, damage homes and livelihoods, and place enormous pressure on local services."
