global warming

People cross a flooded river in western Haiti after a bridge was washed away by Hurricane Matthew. (file)
MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi

‘Tipping point’ for climate action: Time’s running out to avoid catastrophic heating

16 September 2021
Climate and Environment

The temporary reduction in carbon emissions caused by global COVID-19 lockdowns did not slow the relentless advance of climate change. Greenhouse gas concentrations are at record levels, and the planet is on path towards dangerous overheating, a multi-agency climate report published on Thursday warns. 

Across the world, more incidents of extreme weather events are being recorded.
WMO/Daniel Pavlinovic

Climate and weather related disasters surge five-fold over 50 years, but early warnings save lives - WMO report

1 September 2021
Climate and Environment

Climate change and increasingly extreme weather events, have caused a surge in natural disasters over the past 50 years disproportionately impacting poorer countries, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) said on Wednesday.

The town of Kendal in England, UK.
Unsplash/Ian Cylkowski

Chilliest Spring in years is cold comfort as CO2 emissions rise: WMO

8 June 2021
Climate and Environment

Confirmation that Europe has just had its chilliest Spring in years is cold comfort for the planet, amid rising greenhouse gas levels which will bring negative impacts for generations to come, UN weather experts said on Tuesday.

Sunrise in the Ebro Delta in Spain's Catalonia region.
WMO/Agusti Descarrega Sola

World now likely to hit watershed 1.5 °C rise in next five years, warns UN weather agency

26 May 2021
Climate and Environment

Odds are increasing that the annual average global temperature will rise beyond 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, in at least one of the next five years, the UN weather agency warns in a new report issued on Thursday.

Death Valley, USA.
Unsplash/Sarah Lachise

Death Valley temperature likely highest since 1931: UN weather agency

18 August 2020
Climate and Environment

“All indications” suggest that the extreme temperature reading of 54.4 degrees Celsius recorded in California’s Death Valley on Sunday, is legitimate, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited the low-lying island of Tuvalu in May 2019 to see how Pacific Ocean nations would be effected by the rise in sea levels.
UN Photo/Mark Garten

Guterres vows support for island States in twin fight against COVID-19, climate crisis

21 April 2020
Climate and Environment

In an era of new challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary-General António Guterres is pledging the UN’s continued support to small island States – longtime leaders in the global fight against the devastating impacts of climate change.

Aerial view of melting glaciers on King George Island, Antarctica.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Climate crisis: Antarctic continent posts record temperature reading of 18.3°C

7 February 2020
Climate and Environment

Fresh fears of accelerating damage to the planet’s ice sheets and sea level rise have been fuelled by confirmation from the UN’s weather agency that the Antarctic likely saw a new temperature record of more than 18°C on Thursday. 

People living on the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean are needing to adapt to climate change.
UNDP Comoros/James Stapley

Climate change: ‘A moral, ethical and economic imperative’ to slow global warming say UN leaders, calling for more action

9 May 2019
Climate and Environment

It is nothing less than a “moral, ethical and economic imperative” to take more action to mitigate the existential threat posed by climate change, said top executives from across the United Nations system on Thursday.

Women in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia work in a greenhouse they built to increase the production capacity of vegetables they sell on the local market. (file 2015)
ILO/Marcel Crozet

Work to make the world a better place: 5 things you need to know about ‘green jobs’

28 April 2019
Climate and Environment

Imagine a world in which practically everyone works in jobs that are helping to transform the global economy, and bring about a world where business can thrive and the needs of the most vulnerable people are met. 

Youth attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany. Photo/UNFCCC
UNFCCC

Voices of young climate action activists ‘give me hope’ says UN chief

15 March 2019
Climate and Environment

In the wake of Friday’s demonstrations by schoolchildren across the world against climate change inaction, the UN Secretary-General has said he understands their fears, but is hopeful for the future.