The WMO report has particulars about the observed climate changes and how this differs from previous decades.
Global Warming To Global Heating: It has been decades since the experts and the general public have been raising their voices and concerns over the rising temperatures across the globe and the harmful effects of “global warming” the effects of which are very much visible now in the form of extreme weather. Whether it is excessive rain and ensuing floods or severe heatwaves, humans and the flora and fauna have started to feel the pinch. Forest fires across the continents are a prime example.
World Meteorological Organization’s Report
Now, a report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has on record said that 2011-2020 was the “warmest decade on record by a clear margin” for both land and ocean. “The warmest six years on record globally were between 2015 and 2020. Each successive decade since the 1990s has been warmer than all previous decades,” said the specialized agency of the United Nations.
The WMO on Tuesday published the State of the Climate 2011-2020 report which looks at the global climate for the decade and places it in a longer-term climate context.
Sea Level Rise Nearly Doubled In Less Than A Generation
The WMO report has particulars about the observed climate changes and how this differs from previous decades. The UN Weather Body’s “Annual State of the Global Climate Reports” as well as the decadal (pertaining to a decade) report combines input from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (including from Ireland’s Met Éireann), regional climate centres, UN partners and leading climate scientists.
“Our ocean is warming faster and faster and the rate of sea level rise has nearly doubled in less than a generation. We are losing the race to save our melting glaciers and ice sheets,” said Prof Petteri Taalas, the WMO Secretary-General.
WMO State Of The Climate 2011-2020 Report: Key Findings
- It was the warmest decade on record by a clear margin for both land and ocean.
- The global mean temperature for the period 2011-2020 was 1.10 ± 0.12 °C above the 1850-1900 average. This is based on the average of six data sets used by WMO.
- The warmest six years on record globally were between 2015 and 2020.
- Each successive decade since the 1990s has been warmer than all previous decades.
- The warmest years of the decade were 2016, because of a strong El Niño event, and 2020.
- More countries reported record high temperatures than in any other decade.
- Glacier and ice sheet loss unprecedented.
- Sea level rise accelerates.
- Ocean heat and acidification damage marine ecosystems.
- Extreme weather undermines sustainable development.
- Ozone layer on track to recovery.
- Virtually every attribution study carried out in 2011-2020 on heat found that the extreme heat increased significantly because of anthropogenic climate change.
(With inputs from www.met.ie)
