WMO Warns of Accelerating Climate Change and Global Overheating

Record Heat Signals Dangerous Climate Trends
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a grim report on the state of the global climate, confirming that the world is already dangerously overheated, with climate change accelerating at an alarming pace. According to WMO’s 2024 Global State of the Climate report, the past decade has been the warmest on record, a trend that aligns with scientists’ long-standing predictions. This announcement coincides with the opening of the COP29 UN Climate Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, where world leaders and experts are gathering to discuss solutions to mitigate further climate damage.

Climate Change Impacts Are No Surprise, Slow Response Is
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stressed that the rise in global temperatures and the associated impacts—such as record-high sea surface temperatures, ice cap melting, and extreme weather events—are not unexpected. Scientists have been warning about these outcomes for over three decades. What is surprising, Saulo explained, is the global community’s slow response to these warnings. As of now, global temperatures have already risen by 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels, pushing the planet into a state of irreversible change in some regions.

2024 to Be the Hottest Year on Record
The report also draws attention to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which predicts that 2024 will become the hottest year on record. This is part of a larger, troubling trend of rising global temperatures that is intensifying the frequency and severity of natural disasters. WMO experts emphasized that the world is unprepared for the scale of these extreme events, which are becoming more commonplace across the globe.

Emissions Rising Globally Despite Efforts
While some regions, like Europe, have seen reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the overall global emissions continue to rise, contributing to the accelerating climate crisis. Experts warn that emissions from cities like Beijing, Baku, and Berlin all lead to the same problem—an increase in heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere that affect the entire planet. The COP29 summit is seen as a critical moment for international cooperation to address these rising emissions and their global impacts.

Heatwave Record in Europe Highlights Urgency
The report also pointed to extreme weather events, such as the record-breaking temperatures in Europe, where October 2024 was 1.23°C warmer than the 1991-2020 average, making it the fifth-warmest on record. These rising temperatures and the intensification of extreme weather events signal the need for urgent climate action to prevent further global warming and its devastating effects.