WMO Warns 80% Chance of New Global Heat Records by 2029

A new World Meteorological Organization report predicts an 80% likelihood of breaking at least one annual global temperature record within the next five years, with a 70% chance that the 2025–2029 average exceeds 1.5°C above preindustrial levels and an 86% probability of at least one year breaching that threshold.

For the first time, models show a 1% risk of reaching 2°C by 2030. Accelerated Arctic warming, intensified Amazon droughts, and heavier rains in South Asia, the Sahel, and northern Europe emphasize the urgent need for immediate cuts in fossil fuel emissions and deforestation to prevent severe health, economic, and ecological impacts.