UN News

Geneva: Global temperatures are likely to surge to record levels in the next five years, fuelled by heat-trapping greenhouse gases and a naturally occurring El Niño weather pattern, according to a new update issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Wednesday.

Typically, El Niño increases global temperatures in the year after it develops, in this case, that means 2024. There is a 66 per cent likelihood that the annual average near-surface global temperature between 2023 and 2027, will be more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one year.

And there is a 98 per cent likelihood that at least one of the next five years, and the five-year period, will be the warmest on record, report warned.

In addition to increasing global temperatures, human-induced greenhouse gases are leading to more ocean heating and acidification, sea ice and glacier melt, sea level rise and more extreme weather.

The new report was released ahead of the World Meteorological Congress  to be held from 22 May to 2 June which will discuss how to strengthen weather and climate services to support climate change adaptation.

Priorities for discussion at Congress include the UN’s Early Warnings for All initiative to protect people from increasingly extreme weather and a new Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Infrastructure to inform climate mitigation.