The past seven years were the warmest on record, in what UN scientists say is another clear sign that climate change is 鈥済etting worse and worse鈥�. The provisional finding comes on the same day as the COP26 climate summit opens in Glasgow, UK, where nearly 200 countries are meeting to avoid future catastrophic warming.
The UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a report that 2021 is currently the sixth or seventh warmest year on record, based on data to the end of September. With this year 1.09掳C above pre-industrial levels, that will make 2015-2021 the seven hottest years since records began in 1850. The hottest year on record was 2016.
One reason 2021 didn鈥檛 eclipse 2016 was due to the effects of La Ni帽a, a weather cycle that results in global cooling. However, it was still about 0.2掳C warmer than the last big La Ni帽a year, 2011.
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at the WMO says even though 2021 didn鈥檛 break the record, such year-to-year variations are to be expected and climate change hasn鈥檛 slowed. 鈥淭he signal is very clear and the indicators are very clear to say that we are still in the situation where climate change is getting worse and worse,鈥� he says.
This year also marks the first time the 20-year global average temperature has been 1掳C above pre-industrial levels since records began. Baddour says that is 鈥渧ery significant鈥� as the world鈥檚 goals of holding warming to 1.5掳C or well below 2掳C will be measured not by a single year but over a longer time period. He adds that he expects the 1.5掳C threshold will 鈥渄efinitely鈥� be breached in the next three decades.
The WMO report, ,聽highlights the year鈥檚 extreme weather, from a near-50掳C national record in Canada to the Chinese city of Zhengzhou receiving more rain in a day than it usually does in a year. Baddour also points to the wildfires seen in Greece and Turkey. 鈥淭hese are not usual events that we鈥檝e recorded in the past. We鈥檝e had fires there, but not of this intensity and duration. There is a signature of climate change,鈥� he says.
The reminder of how fast the world is warming comes as talks get under way at COP26, where more than 120 heads of state will speak across 1 and 2 November.
In a video statement to mark the report鈥檚 launch, UN secretary-general said: 鈥淐OP26 must be a turning point. We must act now 鈥� with ambition and solidarity 鈥� to safeguard our future and save humanity.鈥�
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