Global rise in temperature is warming seas and melting ice sheets in the Arctic|NASA Rawpixel|CC BY 4.0
There is a 50% chance that the global average surface temperature will reach 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level for at least one out of the next five years, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a report on Monday.
Between 2022 and 2026, we are likely to see a rise in temperature and experience one of the hottest years—hotter than what we witnessed in 2016.
The WMO update also predicts a rise in sea levels due to ice and glacier meltdowns. It indicates that oceans will become warmer and more acidic.
“The 1.5°C figure is not some random statistic. It is rather an indicator of the point at which climate impacts will become increasingly harmful for people and indeed the entire planet,” warns WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.
Though the update only predicts a temporary increase in average global temperature, experts worry that there would be a loss of warm-water coral reefs, droughts, flooding of small island nations and an increase in deadly heatwaves around the world.
