Mega ocean warming El Niño events were key in driving the largest extinction of life on the Earth some 252 million years ago due to volcanic eruptions. Resulting carbon dioxide emissions rapidly accelerated warming, with widespread stagnation and marine and terrestrial ecosystems collapse. Increased greenhouse gases don’t just make the majority of the planet warmer, they increase weather and climate variability making it even more ‘wild’ and difficult for life to survive. That catastrophe shows global warming isn’t just a matter of it becoming unbearably hot, but also a case of conditions swinging wildly over decades.
www.bristol.ac.uk/cabot/news/2024/elnino.html