The United Nations has warned that 2025 is set to rank among the three hottest years ever recorded, further deepening the global climate crisis and putting the planet at risk of irreversible environmental damage.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report, released Thursday ahead of the COP30 UN climate summit in Brazil, states that 2023, 2024, and 2025 will be the warmest years in 176 years of modern record keeping, with 2025 expected to be the second or third hottest year on record.

Greenhouse Gases Reach Record Levels

The UN report highlighted alarming trends in greenhouse gas emissions, which have reached new record highs, locking in additional heat for the future. The past 11 years (2015–2025) will collectively be the warmest in recorded history, underscoring the failure to meet targets set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

WMO chief Celeste Saulo emphasized that it is now “virtually impossible to limit global warming to 1.5°C [2.7°F] in the next few years” without temporarily exceeding that target. The Paris Agreement had sought to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C, ideally keeping it under 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Global Temperature Statistics

The WMO report shows that the mean near-surface global temperature during the first eight months of 2025 stood at 1.42°C (2.5°F) above pre-industrial levels. Rising ocean heat content and increasing greenhouse gas concentrations continue to amplify the climate crisis, worsening extreme weather events worldwide.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) also reported a 2.3% increase in global emissions in 2024, driven primarily by India, China, Russia, and Indonesia.

UN Chief Warns of Moral Failure

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the inability to curb global temperature rises as a “moral failure” during a leaders’ summit in Brazil before COP30. He warned:

“Each year above 1.5 degrees will hammer economies, deepen inequalities, and inflict irreversible damage. We must act now, at great speed and scale, to minimize the overshoot and bring temperatures back below 1.5°C before the end of the century.”

Impacts on Polar Ice and Extreme Weather

The WMO report also highlights the consequences of rising temperatures on polar regions:

• Arctic sea ice extent reached its lowest ever recorded after the winter freeze in 2025.
• Antarctic sea ice remained consistently below average throughout the year.

Extreme weather events have also intensified, with devastating floods, heatwaves, and wildfires affecting food systems, livelihoods, and communities globally. These events are expected to worsen if temperatures continue to rise unchecked.

Progress in Early Warning Systems

Despite the alarming findings, the WMO acknowledged progress in multi-hazard early warning systems, crucial for mitigating climate-related disasters. Since 2015, the number of countries reporting such systems has increased from 56 to 119, with notable gains among least developed countries and small island developing states, which saw a 5% increase in access over the past year.

However, 40% of countries still lack early warning systems, underscoring the urgent need for global investment and coordination.

Looking Ahead

The UN and WMO stress that while exceeding the 1.5°C threshold may be unavoidable in the near term, it is still possible to stabilize temperatures by the end of the century through aggressive emissions reductions, investment in clean energy, and international cooperation.

Key Takeaways:

• 2025 will be one of the three hottest years on record.
• Greenhouse gas emissions have hit historic highs, locking in more heat.
• Polar ice continues to decline, and extreme weather is escalating globally.
• COP30 summit in Brazil aims to address urgent climate action.
• Early warning systems have improved but remain absent in 40% of countries.
• Global efforts must intensify to achieve Paris Agreement targets and limit warming to 1.5°C.