Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to prepare the UK for El Nino in 2027.

The current El Niño is now growing rapidly, with Met Office forecasts suggesting it is likely to be a very large event. A large El Niño increases the likelihood of elevated global mean temperatures in 2026, and particularly 2027, which is likely to exceed 2024 as the warmest year on record.

The Met Office continues to closely monitor the developing situation and will assess the potential impacts for the UK and other parts of the world as forecasts evolve. It is important to stress that El Niño is just one of a number of climate drivers that can influence weather patterns in Europe and the UK and any potential impacts will depend on how these drivers combine.

The Cabinet Office is the lead government department for severe weather, including severe storms, extreme heat and extreme cold, and it is responsible for coordinating both the preparations and response to these weather events. The COBR Directorate regularly reviews and exercises response plans for all severe weather risks and implements lessons learned from previous seasons. If severe weather is forecast, the COBR Directorate will convene the cross-Government Severe Weather Resilience Network to assess sector preparedness and raise any concerns or current issues that may impact response plans.