WMO Report Highlights Dire Climate Change Impacts in 2024

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a stark report documenting the spiraling effects of climate change in 2024, with irreversible impacts projected to last for centuries. The report confirms that 2024 was likely the first year to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, with a global mean near-surface temperature of 1.55°C above the 1850-1900 baseline. This marks the warmest year in a 175-year observational record.
Key findings include record-breaking ocean heat content, accelerated sea-level rise, and unprecedented glacier melt. The report also highlights the devastating toll of extreme weather events, which caused the highest number of displacements in 16 years and exacerbated food crises globally. Tropical cyclones, floods, and droughts led to billions in economic losses and significant loss of life.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized that while the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals remain achievable, immediate action is critical. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for greater investment in clean renewables and strengthened early warning systems to build resilience against climate impacts.
The report underscores the urgent need for global leaders to act, warning that every fraction of a degree of warming increases risks to societies and ecosystems. Despite progress in some areas, only half of all countries have adequate early warning systems, leaving millions vulnerable to extreme weather events.
The WMO report serves as a wake-up call, urging nations to accelerate efforts to limit global temperature rise and mitigate the far-reaching consequences of climate change.

Published: 7/27/2025