Critical report within the scope of COP31. "2026 will be one of the 4 hottest years on record"

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shared its update report titled "2026 Global Climate Situation" within the scope of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, hosted by Türkiye on 9-20 November.

The report pointed out that the long-term trend with extraordinary global temperatures, melting glaciers and rising sea levels will continue in 2026, and emphasized that the last 12 years were the hottest years on record and 2026 will be one of the 4 hottest years.

The report states, "The global average surface temperature in the January-September period of 2026 was approximately 1.47 degrees above the pre-industrial average. This event, which has intensified since August and is expected to be the strongest El Nino on record until December, is expected to increase further by the end of the year, with the effect of warming." expressions were used.

"Extreme weather events affected lives and livelihoods, weakened food security, deepened poverty and led to displacement in many regions. Heat waves, drought and forest fires in Europe caused more than 30 thousand deaths, according to preliminary estimates. National temperature records were broken in at least 8 countries in Europe and had major impacts on agriculture, energy and transportation." statements were included.

The increase in the number of countries reporting that they have early warning systems against very dangerous climate events, from 56 in 2015 to 136 in 2025, was evaluated as a pleasing development in the report.

It was emphasized that the report, which covers data until September 2026, does not yet reflect the most current effects of the El Nino weather event.

WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo also emphasized that El Nino and the global climate situation in 2026 give new meaning to the assessment of "far beyond expected limits".

"El Niño does not add new heat to the planet; it releases heat from oceans that have already reached the highest temperature level ever measured." Sharing his opinion, Saulo pointed out that there is much more heat waiting to be released.

Saulo emphasized that heat waves, tropical cyclones and heavy rains are intensifying much faster than historical data predicts.

“Hundreds of millions of people have been exposed to unbearably extreme heat this year.” Saulo warned that the catastrophic ice and rock collapses and flash floods in Nepal reveal the multifaceted risks faced by fragile communities in the warming high mountain regions.