The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the next five years, from 2023 to 2027, are likely to be the hottest on record, according to a report released on May 17, 2023. The WMO's Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update indicates a 66% chance that the annual average global temperature will temporarily exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one of those years.
The report, produced by the UK's Met Office, highlights that El Niño conditions are expected to develop in the coming months, combining with human-induced climate change to push global temperatures to new highs. This would mark the first time in history that the 1.5°C threshold, a key target of the Paris Agreement, is breached, albeit temporarily.
WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas stated, 'This report does not mean that we will permanently exceed the 1.5°C level specified in the Paris Agreement, which refers to long-term warming over many years. However, it is yet another wake-up call that we are not on track to limit warming to 1.5°C.'
The findings underscore the urgent need for rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change, including more frequent and intense heatwaves, droughts, and floods.
