UN Warns of Climate Crisis Ahead of El Niño Event

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a stark warning regarding the Earth's climate, stating that it is more out of equilibrium than at any point in recorded history. This situation arises from an excess of heat energy that the planet is unable to dissipate, primarily due to emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. The WMO highlights that this significant 'energy imbalance' has led to unprecedented ocean temperatures and accelerated melting of ice caps around the world.

With the anticipation of a natural warming phase known as El Niño, expected to emerge later this year, scientists are concerned that this could trigger even more heat records. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has reiterated the urgent need for countries to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in order to achieve climate security, energy security, and national security. "Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red," he stated in a recent video address.

According to the WMO, the last eleven years have been the warmest on record since data collection began in 1850. In 2025, global average air temperatures reached approximately 1.43 degrees Celsius above the levels recorded prior to the widespread burning of fossil fuels. While the temporary cooling effects of the La Niña weather pattern contributed to slightly lower temperatures compared to 2024, which was influenced by the warming El Niño phase, 2025 still ranked among the three warmest years recorded.

The WMO acknowledges a general acceleration of climate warming, with many researchers indicating that current temperature levels remain within the range of long-term predictions. However, they highlight a wealth of evidence demonstrating that climate change is occurring at an unprecedented pace. Key indicators, such as the Earth's excess heat energy, have reached alarming levels—the highest recorded last year, according to the WMO. Although scientists are still analysing the reasons behind this accumulation of heat over recent years, they unanimously agree that heat-trapping gases including carbon dioxide are the main contributors to this phenomenon.

Data suggests that levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are now greater than they have been at any point in the last two million years, resulting from human activities such as fossil fuel consumption. The excess heat is not only increasing atmospheric temperatures but also contributing to the melting of ice. Provisional data indicate that the world’s glaciers experienced one of their five worst years on record in 2024/25, as sea ice levels at both poles reached near-record lows throughout much of 2025.

Significantly, over 90% of the additional heat is absorbed by the oceans, adversely affecting marine ecosystems, intensifying storm activity, and elevating sea levels. The temperature in the upper 2 kilometres of the global ocean reached a new peak last year, and it has been warming more than twice as rapidly over the past two decades compared to the late 20th century.

As Professor Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, stated, "Human activities are increasingly disrupting the natural equilibrium, and we will live with these consequences for hundreds and thousands of years." The report underscores the immediate effects of rising temperatures, which are contributing to the exacerbation of extreme weather occurrences and facilitating the spread of diseases such as dengue fever.

Currently, the southwestern United States is experiencing an unprecedented early-season heatwave, with some areas reporting temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, approximately 10 to 15 degrees above the seasonal average. Rapid assessments conducted by scientists at the World Weather Attribution group revealed that the intensity of this heatwave would have been nearly impossible in the absence of human-induced climate change.

Researchers are closely monitoring the Pacific Ocean, with long-term forecasts indicating a strong likelihood of El Niño conditions forming in the latter half of 2026. This potential shift towards El Niño, coupled with the ongoing upward trend of human-caused warming, may result in temperature surges to new highs well into 2027. Dr. John Kennedy of the WMO noted, "If we transition to El Niño, we will see an increase in global temperature again and potentially to new records."