Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, and its summers are getting more extreme with each passing year. This year, successive heatwaves pushed temperatures past 35°C to 40°C, causing shrinking rivers, drought, wildfires, and significant loss of human life, not to mention substantial economic damage. Many European countries were not adequately prepared for such extreme summer conditions and have struggled to cope with their consequences.

Malaysia has been blessed by Mother Nature with abundant sunshine and rainfall. Nevertheless, the country would be wise to prepare for increasingly extreme weather brought about by climate change, as Malaysia is not immune to the effects of global warming. According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), there is a more than 90% chance that Malaysia will experience 'Super El Nino' between Oct and Dec 2026. MetMalaysia said the 2026–2027 Super El Nino could rank among the most extreme events ever recorded, with temperatures exceeding 40°C. Malaysia should take MetMalaysia's warnings seriously and prepare well in advance to ensure that the country is not caught off guard.

i Capital will pause its publication for one issue in the week starting 31 Aug. However, www.icapital.biz will be updated as usual and the operating hours of our Kuala Lumpur office will remain unchanged. The next issue, Volume 38, number 8 of i Capital, will be dated 10 Sep - 16 Sep 2026.