Global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels in the next five years, with Arctic temperature anomalies expected to continue to be higher than the global mean, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), produced by the UK’s Met Office. The Global Annual-to-Decadal Update also takes a look at the observed climate over the past five years and gives regional predictions for temperatures and precipitation over the next five years.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has published A Well-Adapted UK. This new report sets out a comprehensive package of solutions to address the growing impacts of climate change affecting every aspect of life in the UK. The country’s independent climate advisors identify better cooling, flood protection and a more secure water supply as the most critical priorities to protect the UK from the three biggest climate risks – heat, flooding and drought.
How much heat, flooding, drought and storms increase as a result of human-induced climate change can be calculated, according to a study by Gottfried Kirchengast and his team at the University of Graz. It can compute all relevant hazard metrics in any region worldwide. The researchers found that anthropogenic climate change has caused a tenfold increase in extreme heat in recent decades.
The World Meteorological Organisation, its members and partners are ramping up action against extreme heat in Western Europe, parts of North America, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Meanwhile, a cold spell in South America could also be a health threat.
The Climate Finance Vulnerability Index (CliF-VI) provides a comprehensive understanding of nations' climate vulnerability to help improve the targeting and provision of climate change adaptation financing. It shows a country’s climate and financial vulnerability as well as governance considerations that may impact lending.
Asia is currently warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The WMO’s 'State of the Climate in Asia 2024' report says that 2024 was the warmest or second warmest year on record (depending on the dataset), with widespread and prolonged heatwaves. The warming trend between 1991-2024 was almost double that of the 1961-1990 period.
The global economy could face a 50% loss in GDP between 2070 and 2090 unless immediate policy action on risks posed by the climate crisis is taken. This is the stark warning set out in ‘Planetary Solvency – finding our balance with nature’ by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) in collaboration with climate scientists.
Climate change is making extreme weather in the UK more likely and more extreme. This looks like heatwaves, heavy rainfall and conditions that enable wildfires. The UK is not appropriately prepared for this.