The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is warning that Earth’s climate is more out of balance than at any time in observed history, as greenhouse gas concentrations drive continued warming of the atmosphere and ocean and melting of ice.

According to theWMO, rapid and large-scale changes have occurred within a few decades but will have harmful repercussions for hundreds – and potentially thousands – of years.

WMO’s State of the Global Climate report 2025 confirms that 2015-2025 are the hottest 11-years on record, and that 2025 was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 °C above the 1850-1900 average.

Extreme events around the world, including intense heat, heavy rainfall and tropical cyclones, caused disruption and devastation and highlighted the vulnerability of our inter-connected economies and societies.

The ocean continues to warm and absorb carbon dioxide. It has been absorbing the equivalent of about eighteen times the annual human energy use each year for the past two decades. Annual sea ice extent in the Arctic was at or near a record low, Antarctic sea ice extent was the third lowest on record, and glacier melt continued unabated, according to the report.

“The State of the Global Climate is in a state of emergency. Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

“Humanity has just endured the eleven hottest years on record. When history repeats itself eleven times, it is no longer a coincidence. It is a call to act,” said Mr Guterres.

Extreme heat, cold, precipitation and fires marked the start of 2026, with extreme weather wreaking a heavy economic, environmental and human toll throughout the first weeks of 2026.

Despite this, in January the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2026 found that geoeconomic confrontation had emerged as the top risk for the year, followed by interstate conflict, extreme weather, societal polarization and misinformation and disinformation.

With short-term concerns overtaking long-term objectives, environmental risks declined in ranking in the two-year outlook. Extreme weather dropped from 2nd to 4th, pollution from 6th to 9th, while critical change to Earth systems and biodiversity loss fell seven and five positions respectively.

According to the WEF report.all environmental risks declined in severity score, representing an absolute shift, not just a relative one. Yet over the 10-year period, they remain the most severe – the top three are extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and critical change to Earth systems. Three-quarters of respondents expect a turbulent or stormy environmental outlook, the most negative of any category.

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