An advisory released this August by the U.S. National Weather Service warned this year’s El Niño could be among the strongest ever recorded, lasting well into the first few months of 2016.

Facing an El Niño of this scale, urbanized regions risk exposure to pollution from lit forests and plantations, droughts and overexploitation of freshwater resources, environmental degradation, and heat waves. All of these will undoubtedly have costs that disproportionately fall upon the poor and most vulnerable – the people with the least resources to adapt.

Not enough is being done to protect communities against the effects of global climate change. It is essential that we now move the conversation and policymaking towards meaningful long-term actions.

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