World Meteorological Organization Warns of Record Heat in the Next Five Years

A climate report from the World Meteorological Organization (2025-2029) predicts that global temperatures are expected to reach record levels over the next five years, increasing climate risks and impacts on societies, economies, and sustainable development. The report forecasts that the annual mean global surface temperature for each year between 2025 and 2029 is likely to be between 1.2°C and 1.9°C higher than the average temperatures from 1850-1900. There is an 80% probability that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will surpass the current hottest year on record (2024). Additionally, there’s an 86% chance that at least one year will exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The report does not provide global predictions for individual years but indicates a 70% probability that the average five-year temperature increase for the period 2025-2029 will exceed 1.5°C. This is higher than the 47% probability in last year’s report (for the period 2024-2028) and higher than the 32% in the 2023 report for the period 2023-2027. Every additional fraction of a degree in temperature rise leads to more harmful heatwaves, extreme rainfall, severe droughts, melting ice caps, glaciers, and sea ice, ocean warming, and rising sea levels.