Last Decade Marks Hottest on Record, WMO Reports

The World Meteorological Organization's latest report confirms that the last decade has been the hottest in recorded history, with 2024 marking the warmest year ever, reaching a global surface temperature of approximately 1.55°C above preindustrial levels. Each of the past ten years is among the ten warmest on record, driven primarily by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, while also influenced by the El Niño phenomenon. The report highlights alarming trends such as record ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, and rapid glacier retreat, with significant impacts including extreme weather events, food shortages, and economic losses. Notably, there were at least 151 unprecedented extreme weather events in 2024 alone. Both António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, and WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stress the urgent need for global leaders to take decisive action to mitigate climate change risks. The situation calls for an immediate transition away from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources to avoid further escalation of the climate crisis.