Global warming to surpass 1.5°C by 2028

Global temperatures are expected to reach a record high of 1.5°C by 2028, resulted by the looming threats of global warming and El Niño weather pattern, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Global warming has been affecting the global temperatures, as the world is still using fossil fuels.

Between 2023 and 2027, there is a 66 percent chance that the earth’s temperature will go above pre-industrial levels for one year, and with this surge, there is a 98 percent chance that it will be the warmest record, said the WMO.

Although the increase is likely temporary, it shows how much climate change is accelerating, with the rising sea levels, extreme weather, and the extinction of vital ecosystems, WMO added.

“This report does not mean that we will permanently exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius level specified in the Paris Agreement. However, WMO is sounding the alarm that we will breach the level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency,” said WMO Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas.

“A warming El Niño is expected to develop in the coming months and this will combine with human-induced climate change to push global temperatures into uncharted territory,” Taalas added.

The looming threat of global warming can lead to far-reaching repercussions for health, food security, water management and the environment.

The rise in temperatures above the 1.5°C threshold impacts nature, like the demise of coral reefs and the melting of polar ice sheets, both of which will accelerate sea level rise and severely harm coastal communities.