Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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March 23, 2026 Climate and environment
The global climate has entered a phase of unprecedented instability: greenhouse gas concentrations have reached record levels, oceans continue to warm rapidly, and ice sheets are shrinking at a rapid pace. This is according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), published in time for World Meteorological Day, celebrated on March 23.
According to the report, 2015–2025 were the 11 hottest years on record, and 2025 is likely to end up being the second or third hottest year. Last year's temperature was approximately 1.43 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level of 1850–1900.
"Every key climate indicator is flashing red," the UN Secretary-General said. Antonio Guterres“When history repeats itself eleven times in a row, it is no longer a coincidence – it is a call to action.”
Warming of the World Ocean and Loss of Glaciers
The world's oceans, which absorb over 91 percent of excess heat, have reached a new record warming level. Over the past two decades, they have annually accumulated energy equivalent to eighteen times the annual energy consumption of humanity. Nearly 90 percent of the ocean surface will experience at least one marine heatwave by 2025.
Ice cover continues to decline rapidly: Arctic sea ice extent reached minimum or near-minimum levels in 2025, and Antarctica recorded the third-lowest extent in satellite records. Massive glacier loss has been recorded in Iceland and along the Pacific coast of North America.
Global sea levels continue to rise, and are already 11 centimeters higher than in 1993, when satellite measurements began. These processes, experts emphasize, will continue for centuries, and changes in deep ocean temperature and acidity will be irreversible for millennia.
Energy imbalance
For the first time, the WMO included in its report an indicator of the Earth's energy imbalance—the difference between incoming solar energy and outgoing thermal radiation. This imbalance has reached its highest level in the 65-year observation period.
“Human activity is increasingly disrupting the natural balance, and we will have to live with the consequences of this phenomenon for hundreds and thousands of years,” emphasized WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
"Delay can cost lives"
Extreme weather in 2025—from droughts and storms to floods and wildfires—has led to thousands of deaths, millions of people affected, and billions in economic losses. The report also documents rising climate-related food insecurity, increased migration, and worsening public health, including the spread of dengue fever and increased heat stress.
"In this era of war, climate disruption reveals another truth: our dependence on fossil fuels undermines both the climate and global security. Today's report should come with a warning: climate chaos is accelerating, and delay could cost lives," António Guterres emphasized.
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