The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a stark report highlighting a year of shattered climate records. Greenhouse gas concentrations, surface temperatures, ocean heat content and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice extent, and glacier retreat all reached new highs, some by significant margins.
The WMO’s State of the Global Climate 2023 report paints a grim picture of extreme weather events. Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and intensifying tropical cyclones caused widespread disruption and economic damage, impacting millions of lives.
Confirming the ongoing warming trend, the report identifies 2023 as the hottest year on record. Global average near-surface temperatures reached 1.45°C above pre-industrial levels, with a margin of uncertainty of ±0.12°C. This signifies the warmest decade ever recorded.
Alarming Climate Trends Continue in 2023: WMO Report Highlights
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a concerning report detailing the ongoing rise in global temperatures and extreme weather events. Here are the key findings:
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations: Levels of the three main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – reached record highs in 2022, with continued increases observed in real-time data for 2023.
Record-Breaking Temperatures: 2023 shattered the record for the hottest year on record, exceeding all previous years with a global mean near-surface temperature 1.45°C above pre-industrial (1850-1900) levels. This surpasses the previous record-holders, 2016 at 1.29°C and 2020 at 1.27°C. The past decade (2014-2023) marks the warmest ten-year period ever recorded, averaging 1.20°C above pre-industrial levels.
Ocean Heat at All-Time High: Data analysis confirms that ocean heat content reached its peak in 2023, with particularly strong warming observed in the past two decades. This warming trend is expected to continue and become irreversible on long timescales (hundreds to thousands of years).
Sea Level Rise Accelerates: Global mean sea level reached a record high in the satellite record (since 1993). Melting glaciers and ice sheets, combined with ocean warming (thermal expansion), contribute to this rise. Notably, the rate of sea level rise in the past decade (2014-2023) has more than doubled compared to the first decade of satellite observations (1993-2002).
Extreme Weather Wreaks Havoc: Extreme weather and climate events, including major floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat, droughts, and wildfires, had significant social and economic consequences across the globe. Examples include devastating floods linked to Cyclone Daniel in Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Libya, resulting in heavy casualties in Libya.
Socioeconomic Impacts: Weather and climate hazards exacerbate existing challenges like food security, population displacement, and vulnerabilities of marginalized populations. They contribute to new displacement events and prolong existing ones, amplifying the hardships of those already uprooted by conflict and violence.
Climate Finance Gap Remains: While global climate-related finance flows saw a near-doubling in 2021/2022 compared to 2019/2020 (reaching almost USD 1.3 trillion), a significant financing gap persists. To achieve a 1.5°C pathway, annual climate finance investments need to increase dramatically, exceeding six times current levels, reaching nearly USD 9 trillion by 2030 and continuing to rise to USD 10 trillion by 2050.