Earth is warming faster than ever, says UN climate report
Earth just hit its highest-ever energy imbalance, says the latest WMO climate report.
This means our planet is trapping more heat than it's releasing, mostly because greenhouse gasses are at multi-millennial highs: methane (and nitrous oxide) are at levels not seen in about 800,000 years, while carbon dioxide is at its highest in roughly 2 million years.
Oceans are soaking up most of this extra heat, and things are warming up faster than ever.
Global temperatures have risen by 1.43 degrees Celsius
The oceans now hold record amounts of heat, while Greenland and Antarctica keep losing ice, pushing sea levels higher and fueling more extreme weather.
Global temperatures have jumped by 1.43 degrees Celsius since preindustrial times, a worrying milestone.
The WMO report warns that, without urgent climate action, heatwaves, floods and droughts are likely to become more intense.