Rome, May 28 (LaPresse) – The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts record heat in the next five years, with global average temperatures almost certainly expected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius — the critical threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement. In a new report, the WMO states that "global climate predictions indicate that temperatures are expected to remain at record or near-record levels over the next five years, increasing climate risks and impacting societies, economies, and sustainable development." According to the WMO report, "the global annual mean temperature near the Earth's surface for each year between 2025 and 2029 is projected to be between 1.2°C and 1.9°C above the 1850–1900 average." Key findings include "an 80% probability that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will be warmer than the hottest year ever recorded, currently 2024. There is also an 86% chance that at least one year will exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels." The report does not provide forecasts for individual years but highlights, for example, a "70% chance that the five-year average temperature for the 2025–2029 period will exceed 1.5°C" — up from 47% in last year’s report for the 2024–2028 period and 32% in the 2023 report for 2023–2027.
© Copyright LaPresse
