The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that 2025 is among the top three hottest years on record, marking another alarming milestone in the planet’s accelerating climate crisis. The State of the Global Climate Update 2025, published on November 6, 2025, states that there is no indication that global temperatures will stop rising. The study, published ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, provides reliable statistics showing that the last 11 years (2015–2025) have been the warmest on record. To reduce emissions and maintain the 1.5°C objective, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged “urgent and united global action.”

Greenhouse Gases at Record Highs

According to the WMO report, record-high levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs), like carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), are directly responsible for the ongoing warming trend. These gases exacerbate global warming and cause more extreme weather events by trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Key findings from the report include:

• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): A 53% increase from 278 parts per million in 1750 to 423.9 parts per million in 2024. Over the last ten years, the average annual growth rate has been 2.57 percentage points.
• Methane (CH₄): A 166% increase from 729 ppb in 1750 to 1942 ppb in 2024.
• Nitrous Oxide (N₂O): A 25% increase from 270 ppb in 1750 to 338 ppb in 2024.

Since the 1950s, fossil fuel emissions have remained the most significant source. Real-time data indicate that these concentrations continue to rise in 2025, further solidifying 2025 among the top three hottest years.

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Rising Seas, Extreme Events, and Global Impacts

Additionally, the WMO analysis shows that the seas absorb over 90% of the additional heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the ocean’s heat content has sharply increased, storms have become more intense, and polar melting has accelerated. The average rate of sea level rise quadrupled to 4.1 mm year between 2016 and 2025.

Extreme climate events dominated 2025:

• Floods across Africa and Asia displaced millions.
• Wildfires devastated large parts of Europe and North America.
• Deadly heatwaves swept across continents, affecting food production and health.
• Tropical cyclones became more substantial and more frequent.

The events led to enormous economic and social upheaval, highlighting the urgent requirement for mitigation and adaptation measures. The WMO highlighted that while the number of countries with early warning systems has increased from 56 in 2015 to 119 in 2024, 40% of nations still lack sufficient systems to safeguard their populations.

With 2025 among the top three hottest years, the report calls for bridging these critical gaps to safeguard vulnerable communities. As the world gathers for COP30, the findings highlight that decisive climate action is not only necessary but overdue.

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