UN climate report warns of record global heat and rapid Arctic warming by 2030
A United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report, compiled by the UK Met Office, predicts that the average global temperature for 2026‑2030 is 75 % likely to exceed 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial levels, the key Paris‑Agreement threshold. There is an 86 % chance that at least one year in this period will surpass 2024 as the hottest on record, and a 91 % likelihood that the 1.5 °C mark will be temporarily crossed in at least one of the five years.
The forecast highlights a strong El Niño expected by the end of 2026, raising the probability that 2027 will become the next record‑breaking year. Arctic temperatures are projected to rise about 2.8 °C above the 1991‑2020 average during the next five northern‑hemisphere winters, with continued sea‑ice loss in the Barents, Bering and Okhotsk seas. These trends are expected to intensify extreme weather, heat‑related health risks, agricultural stress, and economic disruption worldwide.
The report stresses that while individual years may exceed the 1.5 °C limit, the long‑term Paris target remains achievable if emissions are rapidly reduced. It calls for accelerated cuts in coal, oil and gas use and for governments to prepare for more frequent heatwaves, droughts, floods and wildfire threats.