The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) website's current spotlight features two documents published by the IRI that are designed to walk policy makers through the potential impacts of current El Niño conditions. Readers can use the documents to not only assess how vulnerable different areas of the developing world are to climate-related socioeconomic impacts, but also to see how recent rainfall patterns in these areas have compared to typical El Niño conditions.

Current Rainfall Conditions and El Nino Teleconnections helps assess whether current rainfall conditions are consistent with anomalous--or abnormal--rainfall patterns typical of El Niño years, with a focus on developing countries. This information can help decision makers determine which areas have been hit hardest in recent months. The maps and graphs in this document were prepared using IRI's Data Library, a powerful and freely accessible repository of online data and analytical tools that allows users to view, manipulate and download more than 400 climate-related data sets through a standard web browser.

Overview of Current Socioeconomic and of Upcoming Seasonal Precipitation Odds provides maps that show the increase in odds that many developing countries have in receiving below-or above-normal rainfall in upcoming seasons, based on an analysis of past El Niño years. Importantly, the report also provides an overview of current socioeconomic conditions, such as dependence on agriculture, prevalence of malnutrition and political stability, for affected countries.

These documents are part of efforts by IRI researchers to inform policy making, mitigate negative impacts, and help make El Niño years less costly in terms of life and property. For a full set of El Niño related resources, please visit IRI's ENSO page.

IRI was established as a cooperative agreement between NOAA's Climate Program Office and Columbia University. It is part of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. IRI helps stakeholder groups from global to local scales better manage climate related risks and opportunities, through the best use of scientific knowledge and information.