01Environment·8 min read·Prelims · Mains
Global temperatures to reach near-record highs in next five years, report finds
This article reports a major climate update from the UN and UK Met Office, with specific temperature projections and implications for the Paris Agreement. Prelims may test temperature thresholds and El Niño; mains can ask about climate change impacts, Arctic amplification, and international commitments. UPSC environment and geography syllabi cover this extensively.
- The UN weather agency and the U.K.’s Met Office forecast annual global mean near-surface temperatures between 1.3°C and 1.9°C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900) for the next five years.
- It is very likely that global mean near-surface temperature will temporarily exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one year between 2026 and 2030.
- There will be one year between 2026 and 2030 that average global temperatures will exceed the warmest year on record (2024).