WMO warns of record heat as world nears critical climate threshold

The world is headed toward record-breaking heat, with an 86% chance of surpassing the critical 1.5°C warming limit in the next five years, global experts warn.

A new joint forecast by the World Meteorological Organization and the UK Meteorological Office warns of escalating global temperatures, predicting an 80% chance of setting another annual heat record by 2030. Scientists say there’s an 86% likelihood that at least one of the next five years will exceed the 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement, with a 70% chance the five-year average will also breach that threshold.

The projections, based on over 200 simulations, highlight the rising risk of deadly heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, more intense wildfires, and accelerated sea-level rise—especially in the Arctic, which is warming 3.5 times faster than the rest of the world. Experts stress that each tenth of a degree adds to the severity of climate extremes, making urgent action crucial to protect lives and ecosystems.

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