December 2, 2020

expert reaction to the provisional report on the State of the Global Climate in 2020, as published by the World Meteorological Organization

 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has today released its provisional report on the State of the Global Climate 2020, stating that 2020 is on track to be one of three warmest years on record.

Dr Arnaud Czaja, Reader in Physical Oceanography at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London, said:

“Despite encouraging reductions in carbon emissions over the last decade or so by some countries, the recent measurements of ocean heat content presented in the WMO report highlight that the oceans are still warming up globally, and particularly so over the last decade. Some impacts of this warming are well understood, such as the global rise in sea level, and others are only beginning to be understood (e.g. impact on global weather patterns). This should encourage all countries to strengthen their efforts to bring carbon emissions to net zero as soon as possible.”

Prof Rowan Sutton, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading, said:

“This latest update from the WMO quantifies the ongoing heating of our planet and the ever-more-apparent impacts of this heating on extreme weather in many different parts of the world.   

“The fact that we’re heading for a global average temperature for the year around 1.2C above pre-industrial levels, in spite of La Nina conditions in the tropical Pacific, is notable: if El Nino were happening the global temperature would likely be several tenths of a degree C warmer.  Regionally, the warm temperatures that occurred over the Siberian Arctic were exceptional, as were the associated wildfires.  The exceptionally active Atlantic hurricane season was remarkable: it highlights the urgent need for more research to understand how destructive weather like this is changing due to climate change and what further changes we should expect and prepare for.”

Prof Dave Reay, Chair in Carbon Management, University of Edinburgh, said:

“The state of the global climate?  Parlous.  These annual updates of deteriorating planetary health always make for bleak reading; this year’s is a full red alert.  Surging heat, intensifying droughts and rampant wildfires all speak of the acute impacts of climate change in 2020.  They also warn of the chronic undermining of global carbon sinks – the oceans, trees and soils around the world – that is underway. Throw yet more emissions and warming at them and they will rip the Paris Climate Goals from our grasp forever. The year ahead will be defined by our recovery from Covid-19, the centuries ahead will be defined by how green that recovery actually is.”

The provisional WMO report on the State of the Global Climate in 2020 was published at 1pm UK time Wednesday 2 December 2020.

Declared interests

Prof Reay: No interests declared

No others received.