World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that the Earth’s climate is more out of balance than at any time in observed history.

He attributed the development to greenhouse gas concentrations drive that had continued warming the atmosphere, ocean and melting of ice.

The UN agency raised concerns that the Earth’s energy imbalance was highest in a 65-year record. These rapid and large-scale changes, WMO said, had occurred within a few decades, but would have harmful repercussions for hundreds and potentially thousands of years ahead.

WMO made this known in its latest State of the Global Climate report, which confirmed the period 2015 to 2025 as the hottest 11-year period on record, and that 2025 was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 °C above the 1850-1,900 average.

The WMO’s Flagship State of the Global Climate report was released on World Meteorological Day, yesterday, with the theme: ‘Observing Today, Protecting Tomorrow.’

The extreme events around the world, including intense heat, heavy rainfall and tropical cyclones, caused disruption, devastation and highlighted the vulnerability of interconnected economies and societies, the WMO said.

According to WMO, the ocean continues to warm and absorb carbon dioxide, adding that it has been absorbing the equivalent of about 18 times the yearly human energy uses each year for the past two decades.

The climate crisis has led to more extreme weather and destruction. Yesterday’s World Meteorological Day spotlighted the vital importance of early warning and early action for disaster risk reduction.

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said: “Climate chaos is rewriting the rules of weather, stressing that accurate, trusted science is our first line of defence.”

“Yearly sea ice extent in the Arctic was at or near a record low, Antarctic sea ice extent was the third lowest on record, and glacier melt continued unabated. The state of the global climate is in a state of emergency. Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red.”

The UN boss said humanity had just endured the eleven hottest years on record, noting that when history repeats itself eleven times, it is no longer a coincidence but a call to act.