2020 set to be one of the warmest years on record

2020 is set to be one of the warmest years on record and the past decade the hottest in human history, according to the World Meteorologist Organisation (WMO).

OCEAN heat is at record levels, there have been widespread marine heatwaves, while the Arctic has seen “exceptional warmth with temperatures up to five degrees above average”.
“Not even a cooling La Niña will put a brake on the heat,” added WMO.

“Climate change continued its relentless march in 2020, which is on track to be one of the three warmest years on record. 2011-2020 will be the warmest decade on record, with the warmest six years all being since 2015.”

Ocean heat is at record levels and more than 80 per cent of the global ocean experienced a marine heatwave at some time in 2020, with widespread repercussions for marine ecosystems already suffering from more acidic waters due to carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption, states a provisional WMO report on the State of the Global Climate in 2020.

The report, which is based on contributions of dozens of international organizations and experts, shows how high-impact events including extreme heat, wildfires and floods, as well as the record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season, affected millions of people, compounding threats to human health and security and economic stability posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The average global temperature in 2020 is set to be about 1.2 °C above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) level. There is at least a one in five chance of it temporarily exceeding 1.5 °C by 2024,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.

2020 is set to be one of warmest years on record. Not even a cooling #LaNiña will put a brake on the heat. The #Arctic has seen exceptional warmth, with temperatures up to 5°C above average, per WMO #StateofClimate report#climatechange #ClimateAction https://t.co/VhnoeMOCnQ pic.twitter.com/Sy9OV9nx2q

— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) December 2, 2020

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