Global temperatures are poised to reach unprecedented highs between 2025 and 2029, according to a new forecast from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The agency reports that average surface temperatures during this period are very likely to range between 1.2°C and 1.9°C above pre-industrial levels—pushing the planet dangerously close to the critical 1.5°C threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement.
WMO Predicts Continued Warming Trend
The WMO projects an 80% likelihood that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will be warmer than 2024, currently the hottest year on record. There is also an 86% chance that at least one year will temporarily exceed the 1.5°C mark compared to the 1850–1900 baseline.
Climate Scientists Sound the Alarm
Scientists warn that surpassing this limit, even briefly, could have severe global consequences—accelerating ice melt, intensifying extreme weather events, and threatening ecosystems worldwide. “We are inching dangerously close to the Paris climate limit,” said a WMO spokesperson, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger and faster global emission reductions.
Drivers of the Rising Heat
The findings highlight mounting evidence of a rapidly warming planet, fueled primarily by greenhouse gas emissions and compounded by natural climate variability such as El Niño. The combination of human-driven and natural factors continues to drive heatwaves, droughts, and flooding events to record levels across the globe.
Call for Immediate Global Action
Experts stress that without immediate and coordinated climate action, the world risks entering a sustained period of record-breaking heat with severe environmental, economic, and humanitarian impacts. The WMO urges nations to accelerate their commitments under the Paris Agreement to prevent irreversible damage to the planet’s climate system.
