2019 second hottest year on record — WMO

MANILA, Philippines — The year 2019 has been the second hottest on record, the United Nations weather agency World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed.

This confirmation was based on the consolidated data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Institute for Space Studies (NASA GISS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Copernicus European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and Japan Meteorological Agency.

According to the WMO, the average global temperature has risen by about 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era and ocean heat content is at a record level.

“On the current path of carbon dioxide emissions, we are heading towards a temperature increase of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by the end of century,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

WMO analysis showed the annual global temperature in 2019 was 1.1°C warmer than in the period from 1850-1900, or the pre-industrial era. 

Only 2016 was hotter, due to a very strong El Niño which causes warming, combined with long-term climate change. 

The average temperatures for the past five years and 10 years, respectively, were the highest on record. 

Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous one: a trend the UN agency expects will continue due to the record level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.  

WMO added that 2019 and the past decade also were characterized by retreating ice, record sea levels, increasing ocean heat and acidification, and extreme weather, all of which have “major impacts” on human health and the natural environment. 

Taalas said the New Year began where 2019 left off.

“Unfortunately, we expect to see much extreme weather throughout 2020 and the coming decades, fuelled by record,” Taalas also said.