Geneva — In a stark warning issued by the United Nations weather agency, the world has been put on red alert regarding the escalating crisis of global warming. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released its State of the Global Climate report on Tuesday, revealing alarming increases in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures, and the rapid melting of glaciers and sea ice. The report highlights that the world’s efforts to combat these trends have fallen woefully short.

Celeste Saulo, the agency’s secretary-general, expressed grave concern, stating, “Never have we been so close, albeit on a temporary basis, to the 1.5-degree Celsius lower limit of the Paris agreement on climate change.” The 12-month period from March 2023 to February 2024 surpassed the 1.5-degree Celsius limit, averaging 1.56 degrees Celsius higher, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Service.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the urgency of the situation, noting, “Earth is issuing a distress call. The latest State of the Global Climate report shows a planet on the brink.” He emphasized the role of fossil fuel pollution in exacerbating climate chaos.

The report outlined alarming statistics, including over 90% of ocean waters experiencing heatwave conditions, record losses of ice from glaciers, and Antarctic sea ice retreating to its lowest level ever recorded. Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, described the situation as a “meltdown phase,” both literally and figuratively, due to warming and mass loss from polar ice sheets.

Despite the grim outlook, the report noted a glimmer of hope in the rise of renewable energy generation capacity, which increased nearly 50% from 2022 to a total of 510 gigawatts. However, the urgency of the crisis demands immediate and concerted action.

The release of the report coincides with a gathering of climate experts and government ministers in Copenhagen, Denmark, to push for greater climate action and increased national commitments to combat global warming. Andrew Weaver, a former British Columbia lawmaker and climate scientist, lamented the lack of substantive action from elected leaders, urging a shift away from political grandstanding towards meaningful climate policy advancements.

As the world grapples with the escalating climate crisis, the WMO’s red alert serves as a clarion call for urgent and decisive action to mitigate the devastating impacts of global warming on our planet and future generations