The past eight years have been the hottest on record - World Meteorological Organization

A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) indicates that the past eight years have been the warmest on record.

The average temperature in 2022 will be about 1.15°C higher than in 1850-1900, the WMO report notes. Also, sea levels are now rising twice as fast as 30 years ago, and the world's oceans are constantly breaking temperature records.

“The stronger the warming, the stronger the consequences. We now have such high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that the lower 1.5°C required by the Paris Agreement is barely achievable,” said WMO Secretary-General Professor Petteri Taalas.

The report also notes that the Greenland ice sheet has been losing mass for the 26th year in a row, and in September it rained instead of snow for the first time.

“Too often those who are least responsible for climate change suffer the most – as we saw with the terrible flooding in Pakistan and the deadly prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa. But even well-prepared societies have been hit by extreme events this year – as evidenced by lingering heatwaves and drought across much of Europe and southern China,” Taalas said.

Source: World Meteorological Organization

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