The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a stark warning today, revealing that Earth faces an alarming 80% chance of temporarily surpassing the critical 1.5°C temperature increase target within the next five years.
This revelation underscores the urgent need for immediate action to address the escalating climate crisis.
In a press briefing held today, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) sounded the alarm on the escalating threat of climate change, with Earth teetering on the brink of exceeding the crucial 1.5°C temperature increase target set by the Paris Agreement. According to the WMO, there is an 80% likelihood that global temperatures will surpass this threshold at least temporarily in the next five years, a sharp increase from negligible levels in 2015.
Ko Barrett, Deputy Chief of WMO, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "We are on a record-breaking warming path." The consequences of this trajectory are already being felt worldwide, with extreme weather events, flooding, droughts, and rapid glacial melt becoming increasingly prevalent.
The report's findings are supported by recent data from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which confirmed that May 2024 was the hottest on record, attributing this to human-induced climate change. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres drew a chilling parallel, likening humanity's impact on the planet to "the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs."
Despite global efforts to mitigate climate change, the world is veering off track from the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement. Barrett lamented, "We are way off track to meet the goals set in the Paris Agreement," highlighting the urgent need for more ambitious actions to curb emissions and limit global warming.
Looking ahead, the WMO predicts a continued rise in temperatures, with 2023 already marked as the hottest year on record. The mean near-surface temperature for the years between 2024 and 2028 is forecasted to range from 1.1 to 1.9°C above pre-industrial levels, further exacerbating the climate crisis.
The UN's latest warning underscores the urgent need for immediate and decisive action to address the climate crisis.