Global warming likely to exceed 1.5C within five years, says weather agency

Global temperatures are likely exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in human history within the next five years, the World Meteorological Organization has said in its latest annual assessment.

In a stark conclusion, scientists said for the first time there was a 66 per cent chance that the annual mean global surface temperature rise would temporarily surpass 1.5C above pre-industrial levels in “at least” one year by 2027.

The chances of this outcome were also “increasing with time”, the report said. The assessment of a two-thirds chance of a temporarily breach of the 1.5C threshold compares with estimates of around 48 per cent a year ago, and “close to zero” in 2015.

The report, compiled by researchers from 11 organisations around the world, including those in Europe, North America, Japan and China, covers the years 2023 to 2027.

The authors said…