Forecasters at the World Meteorological Organisation, have predicted that global temperatures will rise significantly in the next five years, reaching unprecedented levels.
This temperature surge will be primarily caused by human-induced climate change and the occurrence of El Niño, a climate pattern.
In 2016, the Earth experienced its hottest year on record, and there is a 98 percent likelihood that at least one of the upcoming five years will surpass that record.
Additionally, the average temperatures between 2023 and 2027 are expected to be the highest ever recorded for a five-year period.
The implications of such a temperature increase are extensive, affecting various aspects of life.
Petteri Taalas, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organisation, emphasized that this would have profound consequences for health, food security, water management, and the overall environment. The urgency to be prepared and take action in response to these challenges is crucial.
Why it is dangerous
Scientists warn that even slight increases in global warming can worsen the impacts of heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and other disasters. In 2021, elevated global temperatures contributed to a devastating heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, resulting in the shattering of local temperature records and the loss of hundreds of lives.
Furthermore, El Niño conditions can further disrupt global precipitation patterns.
The World Meteorological Organisation anticipates increased summer rainfall in the next five years for regions like Northern Europe and the Sahel in sub-Saharan Africa, while expecting reduced rainfall in the Amazon and certain parts of Australia.
The organisation’s report also indicates a two-thirds probability that one of the next five years could be 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than the average temperatures of the 19th century.
Despite the insistence of many world leaders on the 1.5-degree limit to mitigate the risks of climate change to manageable levels, nations have delayed significant changes required to achieve this target, such as substantial reductions in fossil fuel emissions.
As a result, scientists now predict that the world will likely exceed the 1.5-degree threshold by the early 2030s.