The United Nations' weather agency (World Meteorological Organization) warned in its report that Earth's climate is more out of balance than at any time in recorded history. According to the organization, our planet is gaining much more heat energy than it can release, driven by emissions of warming gases such as carbon dioxide.
This record "energy imbalance" heated the ocean to new heights last year and continued to melt the planet's ice caps. Scientists fear that a natural warming phase called El Niño (expected to begin later this year) could soon bring further heat records.
In response to the report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his call for countries to move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy to "deliver climate security, energy security and national security". In a typically punchy video address, he warned: "Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red."
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says the last 11 years were Earth's 11 warmest years in records stretching back to 1850. In 2025, global average air temperatures were about 1.43°C above those of "pre-industrial" times. Temporary cooling from the natural La Niña weather pattern meant 2025 was not as hot as 2024, but last year was still one of the three warmest since records began.
The WMO report points out that levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are at their highest for at least two million years due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. These heat-trapping gases warm the atmosphere and land, as well as melt the planet's ice, with over 90% of the extra energy heating the oceans, which harms marine life, drives more intense storms, and contributes to sea-level rise.
WMO Secretary-General Prof Celeste Saulo stated: "Human activities are increasingly disrupting the natural equilibrium and we will live with these consequences for hundreds and thousands of years." The report highlights the impacts of rising temperatures today, which are intensifying extreme weather events, such as a record-breaking early-season heatwave in the southwestern US, and aiding the spread of diseases like dengue.
Researchers are also closely watching the Pacific Ocean, as long-term forecasts strongly suggest that an El Niño warming phase could form in the second half of 2026. Dr John Kennedy of the WMO said: "If we transition to El Niño we will see an increase in global temperature again, and potentially to new records."
Source: www.bbc.com