The Earth is Getting Hotter: 5 Years to Reach a New Record

Prolonged extreme heat is forecasted to continue, and the El Niño event this year could make 2027 the next record-breaking year for global temperatures.

This week, European countries have experienced record-breaking heat waves. Italy has issued a red alert for Rome, while France and Portugal have recorded the highest temperatures for May.

The average global temperature from 2026 to 2030 is predicted to be between 1.3 and 1.9 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). A heat dome from North Africa has trapped warm air over Western Europe, pushing temperatures to mid-summer levels instead of late spring.

In the UK, temperatures have exceeded 35 degrees Celsius, setting a new record for May. France has experienced temperatures of up to 39 degrees Celsius in some areas, resulting in at least seven heat-related deaths.

According to Simon Stiell, the head of the United Nations' climate change division, human activities such as burning coal, oil, and gas are the primary cause of the early heat wave in Europe this year.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a new warning that the world is likely to experience a new global temperature record within the next five years.

The WMO report also highlights the Arctic's rapid warming, with winter temperatures predicted to rise by 2.8 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average. Sea ice continues to decline in the Barents, Bering, and Okhotsk seas.