Possible rewritten headline: Global temperatures may hit unprecedented highs by 2025
Experts warn of sweltering future temperatures as global records continue to rise, while the Bay Area experiences relative coolness. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released an update stating that temperatures being pushed into uncharted territories are expected to occur, necessitating preparation. The organization attributes the temperature rise to greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the naturally occurring El Niño event, which is expected to develop in the coming months.
Scientists have stated that between now and 2027, there is a two-out-of-three chance that the planet’s average surface temperatures will spike over pre-industrial levels for at least one year. Besides, the increase in the Arctic’s temperature will lead to extreme weather patterns, leading to disproportionately higher warming.
According to WMO, temperatures are shooting at an alarming rate, with a 98% chance that one of the next five years and the five-year period in total will be the warmest on record. Dr. Manoochehr Shirzaei, a geophysicist at Virginia Tech, suggests that the spike in temperatures witnessed will be temporary for a year or two. It, however, provides a glimpse of how our norm will look in the 21st century.
“The catastrophe is coming,” says Shirzaei. “We are on a course, unfortunately, that things in the short term are looking really bad. But this is the course when we don’t consider adaptation strategies. But always we have means to defend against those negative impacts. And I think this report should be taken seriously by our policymakers for alternatives to consult with scientists for local communities to come up with adaptation strategies to make it resilient against the side effects of catastrophic changes in our system.”
It is crucial to note that the report by WMO comes amidst increased concerns about the impact of climate change and the need for policymakers and individuals globally to take appropriate action. Failure to act in a timely fashion would result in the dire consequences highlighted in the report.
