2026 to become 1 of 4 warmest years in history: report
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New Delhi: The year 2026 is on track to become one of the four warmest years on record, with global temperatures averaging 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels during January-September, according to a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report. The report was released on Friday, the opening day of the UN climate conference COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.
The temperature recorded during the first nine months was already higher than the full-year averages of 2025 and 2023, and only marginally below the record set in 2024. The figure is expected to rise further as El Niño intensifies, potentially becoming one of the strongest on record by December and fuelling extreme weather into 2027.
The WMO warned that Earth's energy imbalance has reached its highest level since monitoring began, as greenhouse gases trap unprecedented amounts of heat. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations reached 426.8 parts per million in 2025, 53 per cent above pre-industrial levels.
Oceans, which absorb around 90 per cent of excess heat, are also heading towards their tenth consecutive year of record warmth.
The consequences are increasingly devastating. European heatwaves, droughts and wildfires caused more than 30,000 excess deaths, according to preliminary estimates. In India, an estimated 146.5 million people were exposed to extreme heat during an April 2026 heatwave.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that climate extremes were escalating, with vulnerable populations bearing the greatest burden. He called for faster emissions cuts, a transition away from fossil fuels and increased financial support for vulnerable countries.