Final answer:
ENSO events cause environmental problems such as severe droughts leading to wildfires, crop failures, and water shortages, as well as the increase in the severity of tropical cyclones that result in heavy rains, flooding, and high winds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two important environmental problems associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are the intensification of droughts and the increase in the severity of tropical cyclones. ENSO events influence the distribution and intensity of precipitation around the globe, often leading to severe droughts in some regions. These droughts can cause wildfires, crop failures, and water shortages. On the other hand, during El Niño periods, the warmer sea surface temperatures can fuel more powerful and frequent tropical cyclones, which lead to extreme weather events like heavy rains, flooding, and high winds, resulting in widespread damage to ecosystems and human settlements.