La Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM) informa sobre las consecuencias irreversibles del calentamiento global.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns that Climate Changes are not uniform and many of them will continue, even as emissions are reduced, therefore The consequences are irreversible. Climate changes as a result of Rising temperatures will not be uniform across the planet, varying from one region to another.

This variation is due to unequal distribution of solar heat, individual responses from the atmosphere, oceans, and physical characteristics of regions. In Southern Europe as in many regions and areas of the world, temperature rise is occurring well above the planet’s average.

This is of great importance because it suggests that, although it is possible to achieve the Paris Agreement goal that the planet’s average temperature is at the end of the century Less than 2ºC (and if possible, 1.5ºC set at COP 26 in Glasgow), these areas and regions of the planet, such as The Mediterranean environment will be significantly high.

As a result, respecting international agreements will only reduce the severity of the impact in many of these regions.

The United Nations Agency for Assessment of Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes that many effects, such as Extreme weather events and changes in seasons, will continue, even as greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, due to the inertia of the mechanisms that create climate.

Therefore, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the urgent goal is to prepare for new conditions. It works on adaptation.

The inertia with which the carbon cycle behaves in nature, over 100 years, means that, even if there is a Total halt in emissions, many of its effects will continue to appear for decades.

In other words, for many of its effects, Climate changes the current is irreversible in human time scale. For these reasons, adaptation is inevitable. An example that changes will continue, even if emissions are reduced Sea level rise.

Irreversible Consequences

The unequivocal signs of anthropogenic climate changes surpass all records in 2024 and some of its consequences will be irreversible for centuries or even millennia, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In this publication, excessive economic and social disruptions also stand out as a result of Extreme weather conditions.

In the WMO Report on the Global Climate World, it was confirmed that 2024 was likely the First natural year to exceed 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era reference value, because the average temperature worldwide near the surface was 1.55 ± 0.13°C above the average of the 1850-1900 period. This is the hottest year since temperature values began to be recorded 175 years ago.

In this landmark report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), it is evident that:

• Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) has reached the highest levels in the last 800,000 years.
• Each of the last ten years worldwide has been one of the Top ten warmest years ever recorded.
• The heat content of the oceans hit a new all-time high in each of the last eight years.
• The 18 smallest extents in the Arctic Sea recorded in the last 18 years.
• The three lowest ice extents in Antarctica have occurred in the last three years.
• The largest three-year loss of glacier mass ever recorded corresponds to the last three years.
• The rate of sea level rise has doubled since satellite measurements began.

According to the report, long-term global warming, estimated with the help of a series of methods, is currently encoded in a value between 1.34 and 1.41°C with respect to the 1850-1900 reference, although the uncertainty intervals associated with global temperature statistics must be considered.

A team at WMO made up of experts from around the world is studying the issue of ensuring consistent and reliable monitoring of the long-term evolution of global temperature, in line with the activities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Regardless of the methodology used, every fraction of a degree of warming is important and multiplies the risks and costs to society.

The unprecedented global temperatures observed in 2023 and exceeded in 2024 were mainly due to the continued increase in greenhouse gas emissions, combined with the transition from a period of a La Niña event (exerting a cooling effect) to an El Niño event (exerting a warming effect).

As mentioned in the report, other factors may have contributed to the unexpected and unusual temperature increase, such as changes in the solar cycle, a massive volcanic eruption, and a decrease in aerosols that help cool the atmosphere.

Temperatures are just a small part of a much broader scenario

«The data in 2024 show that our oceans continued to warm and sea level rise continued. The crisis, that is, the frozen parts of Earth’s surface, are melting at an alarming rate: glaciers are not stopping their retreat, and Antarctic sea ice has reached the second world.» said Celeste Saulo.

Tropical floods, droughts, and other hazards have caused the highest number of new displaced persons in the last 16 years in 2024, contributing to worsening food crises and causing significant economic losses.

«In response, the WMO and the global community are redoubling efforts to improve early warning systems and climate services, thereby enhancing resilience of communities and society at large to extreme weather and climate phenomena. While progress is being made in this regard, we need to do more and do it faster. Only half of the countries have adequate early warning systems, and that has to change,» said Celeste Saulo.

Investments in timely hydrological and climate services are more critical than ever to address challenges and build safer and more resilient communities, she emphasized.

The report was prepared from scientific contributions from national meteorological and hydrological services, regional climate centers, WMO United Nations agencies, and dozens of experts. It includes dedicated boxes for monitoring global temperature to supervise the compliance with The Paris Agreement and promote understanding of temperature anomalies in 2023 and 2024. It also includes supplements for climate services and extreme weather events.

The publication, which is part of a series of scientific reports from WMO aimed at informing decision-making processes, was presented on the eve of World Meteorological Day (March 23), World Water Day (March 22), and World Glacier Day (March 21).