WMO Report: Climate Change Consequences May Be Irreversible

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a new report highlighting alarming trends in global climate change, stating that many of its effects are already irreversible, at least over hundreds or thousands of years. The report emphasizes that the Earth is exhibiting increasing signs of distress due to rising temperatures and other climate-related factors.

In 2024, the global average temperature reached approximately 1.55 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900), a finding corroborated by climate researchers earlier this year. The report also notes that the past eight years have consistently set records for ocean heat content, with measurements dating back to 1960. Oceans play a critical role in the Earth's climate by absorbing around 90% of the heat produced by rising greenhouse gas levels.

Additionally, the report reveals that the Antarctic experienced its lowest seasonal sea ice extent in the past three years, dropping below two million square kilometers, a record low since measurements began in 1979. Globally, glaciers have lost unprecedented mass over the last three years, marking the most significant decline for any three-year period since records started in the 1970s. Furthermore, the rate of sea-level rise has more than doubled since satellite measurements began in 1993, now averaging 4.7 millimeters annually.

The trend toward increasing temperatures is expected to persist, even in the highly unlikely scenario of a complete halt to greenhouse gas emissions. The year 2024 marked a significant milestone as the first year since records began in which the global average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline, making it the hottest year ever recorded. The Paris Agreement, established in 2015, aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, relying on temperature averages over at least 20 years. Current long-term temperature assessments indicate an increase ranging between 1.34 and 1.41 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, depending on the calculation method used.

The notable rise in global temperatures during 2023 and 2024 can be partly attributed to natural phenomena such as the El Niño weather pattern and variations in solar activity, as stated in the report.