- A World Meteorological Organization report warns that 2026 is set to be one of the hottest years on record due to human-caused climate change colliding with a “supersized” El Niño.
- Global average surface temperatures between January and September 2026 reached 1.47C above pre-industrial levels, with the year expected to breach the 1.5C Paris Agreement threshold.
- The report highlights record-high sea levels and sea-surface temperatures, alongside continued rapid glacier loss and dwindling freshwater storage.
- Experts warn that the warming effects of El Niño are expected to peak in December, prolonging associated extreme weather into 2027.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that humanity has entered a “new age of climate extremes”, urging world leaders ahead of COP31 to cut emissions and transition away from fossil fuels.
IN FULL
