Temp record may be broken by ’29: UN

The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 is likely to surpass 2024 - currently on track to be the hottest year ever recorded.

The alarming forecast spells trouble for climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh, which already faces rising sea levels, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

In a report released on Wednesday (28 May), the WMO stated there is a 70% probability that the five-year average temperature from 2025 to 2029 will exceed the critical 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels. The organization also reported an 80% chance that at least one year in this period will set a new global temperature record.

Bangladesh Among High-Risk Countries
Experts warn that if global temperatures continue to rise, low-lying nations such as Bangladesh could suffer devastating consequences - including increased coastal flooding, saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources, reduced agricultural yields, and large-scale displacement due to climate-related disasters.

The report also projects continued increases in average rainfall across South Asia through 2029, though seasonal variations will likely remain unpredictable.

Wider Global Impacts
According to the WMO, the persistent warming trend is fueling a host of environmental challenges: ocean heating, glacier and polar ice melt, sea-level rise, and the intensification of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and torrential rains.

The Arctic region is warming at a particularly alarming rate - 3.5 times faster than the global average. Over the next five winters (November-March), Arctic temperatures are expected to rise by approximately 2.4°C above the 1991-2020 average. Sea ice in the Barents, Bering, and Okhotsk seas is projected to continue shrinking.

"The past ten years have been the warmest in recorded history," said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

"Unfortunately, this report offers no sign of relief in the years ahead. Our economies, lives, ecosystems, and the planet will face growing pressure."