Extreme El Niño events more frequent even if warming limited to 1.5C – report

Modelling suggests Australia would face more frequent drought-inducing weather events beyond any climate stabilisation

Extreme El Niño events that can cause crippling drought in Australia are likely to be far more frequent even if the world pulls off mission improbable and limits global warming to 1.5C.

International scientists have released new modelling that projects drought-causing El Niño events, which pull rainfall away from Australia, will continue increasing in frequency well beyond any stabilisation of the climate.

Related: Temperature-boosting El Niño set for early return this year