Escalating Heat: The World Faces Unprecedented Warming

A recent report from the U.N. weather agency projects unprecedented global temperatures over the next five years, with the Arctic warming more than three times the global average. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) indicated an 80% chance that at least one year will witness record-breaking heat, potentially surpassing the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement.

The report forecasts that global near-surface temperatures will be between 1.2°C and 1.9°C higher than pre-industrial levels, potentially triggering more severe weather patterns. These include heatwaves, intense droughts, heavy rainfall, melting of ice sheets and glaciers, and rising sea levels, as detailed by the WMO.

In the Arctic, the predicted warming is alarming, exceeding three-and-a-half times the global average at 2.4°C above the 30-year baseline. Additionally, above-average rainfall is expected in regions like the Sahel and northern Europe, while Amazon could face drier conditions. Global temperature records are anticipated to persist until the decade's end, the report adds.

(With inputs from agencies.)