State of the Global Climate 2025, Coverage, Findings, Recommendations

The State of the Global Climate Report 2025, released on World Meteorological Day, presents a comprehensive assessment of the global climate situation. It report provides authoritative insights into global temperature trends, extreme weather events, and their socio-economic impacts.

About State of the Global Climate Report 

• The State of the Global Climate is an annual flagship report published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 
• It provides authoritative information on the state of the climate system by updating key observed climate indicators and presenting selected high-impact weather and climate events.
• It complements the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other institutions by delivering a timely, consolidated global assessment of the year’s climate conditions.
• The report is produced by WMO in collaboration with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, international data centres, leading climate research institutions and United Nations partners.

State of the Global Climate Report Coverage

The State of the Global Climate Report 2025 provides a comprehensive overview of key indicators and events that reflect the planet’s changing climate, from rising temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations to extreme weather and its impacts on human health.

• It tracks global temperature, greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), ocean heat, sea level, ocean acidity (pH), sea-ice coverage, and glacier changes. It also introduces a new indicator called Earth’s energy imbalance, which shows how much extra energy the planet is retaining.
• The report highlights heatwaves, cold spells, floods, droughts, and tropical cyclones.
• It explains how climate change and heat affect human health.

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State of the Global Climate Report 2025 Findings 

State of the Global Climate Report 2025 report provides authoritative insights into global temperature trends, extreme weather events, and their socio-economic impacts.

• Record-Breaking Global Temperatures: The years 2015-2025 were the hottest 11 years on record. 2025 was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 °C above the 1850-1900 average. The year 2024, which started with a strong El Nino, remains the warmest year, at about 1.55 °C above the 1850-1900 average.
• Intensification of Extreme Weather Events: The year 2025 experienced a series of extreme weather and climate events, including heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, floods, and tropical cyclones. These events caused thousands of deaths, affected millions, and resulted in billions of dollars in losses. Such extreme weather has cascading effects on agriculture, food security, migration, and social stability, particularly in fragile regions.
• Ocean Warming and Heat Content: Oceans absorb over 90% of excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions. In 2025, ocean heat content reached a record high, warming more than twice as fast as in 1960-2005. This warming affects marine ecosystems, increases storms, and contributes to polar ice loss.
• Rising Global Mean Sea Level: The global mean sea level in 2025 remained at record-high levels, approximately 11 cm higher than at the beginning of the satellite record in 1993. The rate of sea-level rise has accelerated since 2012, posing threats to coastal ecosystems, freshwater resources, and human settlements, and amplifying risks from flooding and saltwater intrusion.
• Glacier and Polar Ice Decline: Glacier mass loss in 2024-2025 ranked among the five worst on record, with exceptional ice melt in Iceland and along the Pacific coast of North America. Arctic sea-ice extent reached the lowest or second-lowest levels on record, and Antarctic sea-ice was the third lowest, reflecting accelerated polar ice retreat and its contribution to sea-level rise.
• Ocean Acidification and pH Decline: Approximately 29% of CO₂ emissions from 2015-2024 were absorbed by oceans, causing a continued decline in global average surface pH. Ocean acidification threatens marine biodiversity, fisheries, and shellfish aquaculture, with the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, eastern equatorial Pacific, and parts of the Atlantic being most affected.
• Rising Greenhouse Gas Concentrations: Levels of the three main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide continued to rise in 2025. In 2024, carbon dioxide reached its highest level in the last 2 million years, while methane and nitrous oxide were at their highest in at least 800,000 years. The annual rise in carbon dioxide in 2024 was the largest since modern measurements began in 1957, driven by ongoing fossil fuel emissions and the reduced effectiveness of natural carbon-absorbing systems in oceans and forests.
• Disruption of Earth’s Energy Balance: For the first time, the report includes Earth’s energy imbalance, measuring the difference between incoming solar energy and outgoing energy. Rising greenhouse gases have caused an accumulation of excess energy, mostly stored in oceans (over 90%), while smaller portions heat the land (5%) and melt ice (3%). This imbalance drives long-term warming and climate system disruption.
• Impacts on Human Health: Rising temperatures and extreme events have significant health consequences. Over one-third of the global workforce  is exposed to workplace heat stress annually, particularly in agriculture and construction sectors. Climate-sensitive diseases, such as dengue, are increasing rapidly, placing half of the global population at risk. These challenges underscore the need for integrated climate-health early warning systems.

State of the Global Climate Report 2025 Recommendations

State of the Global Climate Report 2025 underscores the need for urgent, coordinated global action to address both mitigation and adaptation:

• Early Warning Systems: Strengthen meteorological monitoring and warning systems to reduce human and economic losses.
• Resilient Agriculture and Water Management: Develop climate-resilient crops, efficient irrigation systems, and sustainable land management practices.
• Climate Finance for Vulnerable Regions: Mobilize financial and technical support to strengthen adaptive capacity in fragile communities.
• Transition to Low-Carbon Energy: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit future warming.

The report emphasizes that without international cooperation and rapid action, the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are expected to increase, posing serious risks to sustainable development and human well-being.