How the ‘Godzilla’ El Niño could change the world

About this episode

This episode discusses the potential impacts of a super El Niño and its historical significance with historian Peter Frankopan.

Scientists warn that a “super” El Niño could be on its way which, combined with the effects of human-caused climate change, could result in 2027 being the warmest year on record. Yet El Niño is not just a climate story - throughout history, this recurring weather pattern has helped shape global events, triggering everything from famines and revolutions to impacting the Cold War. In this episode, we speak to historian Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at Oxford, to discuss what historical El Niños tell us about what cou be coming our way, and how we can collectively prepare. Producers: Valerio Esposito and Aron Keller Executive producer: James Shield and China Collins Mix: Travis Evans Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: A woman rides a bicycle in the rain in Yangon, Myanmar, 22 May 2026. Credit: Nyein Chan Naing/EPA/Shutterstock

People in this episode

Guest: Peter Frankopan

Topics covered

• climate change
• El Niño
• global history
• weather patterns
• human impact
• preparation strategies

Keywords

• El Niño
• climate change
• global events
• historical analysis
• preparation
• Peter Frankopan

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC World Service

Places: Yangon, Myanmar

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