Earth experienced its hottest half-decade on record between 2011 and 2015 and the floods, droughts and storms unleashed by rising temperatures are likely only a prelude to new weather extremes, the World Meteorological Organization said.
As delegates from almost 200 countries gather in Marrakesh, Morocco this week for global talks on climate change, the WMO report published on Tuesday shows the world has already warmed by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels.
“We just had the hottest five-year period on record, with 2015 claiming the title of hottest individual year,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement. “Even that record is likely to be beaten in 2016.”
