A new report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirms that thousands of people have died, millions more have been impacted, and billions in losses have been incurred due to extreme weather fueled by climate change. Record-high greenhouse gas levels have pushed the Earth’s climate into an unprecedented state of flux. While these atmospheric shifts and ice losses are occurring rapidly, they have set in motion environmental damage that will persist for generations.
The report confirms that the last eleven years (2015-2025) have been the hottest on record. The year 2025 ranked as the second or third warmest, averaging 1.43°C above the 1850-1900 baseline.
“Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Every key climate indicator is flashing red.”
For the first time, the report includes the Earth’s energy imbalance–the highest in 65 years of record-keeping. This represents the difference between energy entering and leaving the system due to greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, which reached 800,000-year highs in 2024. The ocean has absorbed approximately 91% of this excess energy. Over the last two decades, it has absorbed heat equivalent to eighteen times the annual global human energy use.
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Roughly 3% of excess energy is melting our ice. Eight of the ten most negative glacier mass balance years since 1950 have occurred since 2016. Arctic and Antarctic sea ice levels remain at or near record lows.
Extreme events, including intense heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and tropical cyclones, have highlighted the vulnerability of our interconnected societies.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo noted: “On a day-to-day basis, our weather has become more extreme. In 2025, these events caused thousands of deaths, impacted millions of people, and cost billions in economic losses.
The State of the Global Climate is an annual WMO flagship report that provides authoritative information on the state of the climate system by updating key observed climate indicators and presenting selected high-impact weather and climate events.
It complements the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other institutions by delivering a timely, consolidated global assessment of the year’s climate conditions. The report is produced by WMO in collaboration with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, international data centres, leading climate research institutions, and United Nations partners
The WMO’s warning arrives amidst escalating global conflicts involving Israel, Gaza, Iran, the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, and Sudan. Beyond the human toll, these conflicts carry a heavy carbon footprint; a study by Lancaster and Queen Mary University researchers found that recent conflict has generated approximately 33 billion tons of CO₂.
In Liberia, the impacts of climate change are becoming visible. The country’s traditional weather patterns have shifted significantly. Historically, Liberia maintained two distinct seasons: the dry season, generally running from October/November to April, and the rainy season, generally running from April/May to October.
However, in early January 2026, the country experienced “unstable” and persistent rainfall that surprised citizens and disrupted farming. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued warnings regarding these erratic patterns.
There are currently no functioning early warning systems to provide life-saving weather information. Most radio stations or newspapers do not provide consistent weather updates to the public. Flooding is increasingly devastating coastal communities and agricultural yields.
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Despite contributing a negligible amount to global greenhouse gas emissions, Liberia remains committed to being part of the solution. In its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Liberia reaffirmed its ambitious goal to reduce emissions by 64% by 2035.
Some African countries, including South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, are experiencing heavy rainfall, overwhelming rivers and infrastructure, and leaving entire communities.
The warning from WMO comes amid conflict between Israel and Gaza, Iran, the U.S.A., Ukraine, Russia, and Sudan. A recent study by researchers from Lancaster and Queen Mary University found that the conflict has generated approximately 33 billion tons of CO₂.
The WMO report is in observance of World Meteorological Day 2026, which is celebrated every year on the 23rd of March. This year’s celebration is held under the theme “Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow.”
