The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that 2027 could become the hottest year ever recorded, citing the likelihood of a strong El Niño event that could intensify global temperatures and extreme weather conditions.
The warning was issued on Monday as world leaders gathered in Turkey for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP31.
WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, described El Niño as a risk multiplier, explaining that its effects could worsen heatwaves, tropical cyclones and heavy rainfall events, which are already becoming more intense.
A new WMO assessment of the global climate indicates that each of the last 12 years has been the warmest of its kind since temperature records began, while the four most recent years have collectively set new records for global heat.
The report also estimates that the average global surface temperature between January and September 2026 was approximately 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
With a margin of uncertainty of 0.13 degrees, the organisation said global warming may have crossed the critical 1.5-degree Celsius threshold. The world previously recorded a breach of that level in 2024.
The effects of rising global temperatures have been reflected in several extreme weather events recorded across different regions this year.
Preliminary estimates indicate that heatwaves, drought and wildfires in Europe contributed to more than 30,000 excess deaths.
In India, extreme heat in April reportedly affected about 146.5 million people, while a glacier collapse and flash flood in the Himalayas in August claimed more than 1,300 lives.
The WMO warning adds to growing concerns over the increasing intensity of climate-related disasters and the need for stronger global efforts to address climate change.
