The World Meteorological Organization reports unprecedented heat energy buildup, with potential for further warming from El Niño.
The United Nations' weather agency has issued a new warning about the Earth's climate being further out of balance than at any point in recorded history, primarily due to emissions of warming gases like carbon dioxide.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) states that the planet is absorbing more heat energy than it can release, leading to record ocean heating and accelerated melting of ice caps in 2025.
Key Climate Indicators in 2025
The last 11 years, including 2025, rank as the warmest on record since 1850, with global average air temperatures reaching about 1.43 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Despite a temporary cooling from the La Niña pattern, 2025 was among the three hottest years, and scientists note that warming appears to be accelerating within predicted ranges.
The WMO highlights that greenhouse gas levels, particularly carbon dioxide, are at their highest in at least two million years, caused by human activities such as fossil fuel burning.
This energy imbalance has resulted in the world's glaciers experiencing one of their five worst melting years in 2024/25, while sea ice at both poles hit near-record lows throughout 2025.
More than 90 percent of the extra heat is warming the oceans, contributing to marine life disruption, more intense storms, and rising sea levels, with the upper 2 kilometers of the global ocean reaching a new heat high last year.
UN Secretary General António Guterres emphasized the urgency, calling for a shift from fossil fuels to renewables for climate, energy, and national security, stating that every key climate indicator is flashing red.
Researchers are monitoring the Pacific Ocean, with forecasts indicating a possible El Niño phase in the second half of 2026, which could elevate global temperatures and potentially set new records in 2027.
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