UN and scientists warn of accelerating climate risks as 2025 energy imbalance peaks

A new global climate report released for 2025 shows the planet’s energy imbalance has risen to 1.2 W/m², up from 0.7 W/m² reported by the IPCC in 2021. The same analysis indicates Earth’s average temperature is now 1.39 °C above the 1850 baseline, bringing the 1.5 °C threshold within reach.

The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization predicts a strong El Niño episode between July and September, which will intensify heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall worldwide. The agency notes that sea‑surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific are already rising, and models project anomalies above 2 °C. Peru has declared a state of emergency for nearly 800 municipalities, with over 9.3 million people facing high risk of floods and landslides. Other regions expect wetter conditions in the U.S. Southwest, a north‑south precipitation contrast in Europe, and reduced rains in parts of the Indian subcontinent, Australia and the Caribbean.