WMO Report Highlights Urgency of Climate Action to Prevent Catastrophic Consequences

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently released a report highlighting the alarming trend of increasing global temperatures and the devastating impacts of climate change. WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas emphasized that each decade since the 1990s has been warmer than the previous one, with no immediate sign of this trend reversing. This warming trend is unequivocally driven by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, and urgent action is needed to prevent climate change from spiraling out of control.

The report reveals that more countries reported record high temperatures than in any other decade, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense. Droughts, heatwaves, floods, tropical cyclones, and wildfires are causing significant damage to infrastructure, agricultural yields, water supplies, and leading to mass displacements. The risk of intense heat has significantly increased in the past decade, impacting socio-economic development.

Despite the grim outlook, the report also highlights improvements in forecasts, early warnings, and coordinated disaster management that have helped reduce the number of casualties from extreme events. However, economic losses have continued to increase, underscoring the need for more ambitious climate action.

The report emphasizes the need for a seven-fold increase in public and private climate finance by the end of the decade to achieve climate objectives. It was released at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, where it was stressed that much more ambitious climate action is needed to limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era.

Key findings from the report include:
– The warmest decade on record for both land and ocean.
– Global mean temperature for the period 2011-2020 was 1.10 ± 0.12 °C above the 1850-1900 average.
– Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases continued to increase, with CO2 levels reaching 413.2 ppm in 2020.
– Ocean warming and acidification rates are increasing, with 90% of accumulated heat stored in the ocean.
– Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense, impacting marine ecosystems.
– Global mean sea level rise is accelerating, largely due to ocean warming and loss of land ice mass.
– Glacier loss is unprecedented, with glaciers thinning at an average rate of 1m per year.
– Greenland and Antarctica lost 38% more ice between 2011 and 2020 than during the previous decade.
– Arctic sea ice extent continues to decline, with the seasonal mean minimum 30% below average.

The report also highlights the positive impact of actions taken under the Montreal Protocol, which have led to a reduction in the size of the ozone hole.

In conclusion, the report underscores the urgent need for immediate and decisive action to address climate change and its impacts. The findings serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of inaction and the importance of global cooperation to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect the planet for future generations.