World Meteorological Organization

28 Articles

A lake of meltwater has formed on the tongue of the Rhone Glacier near Goms, Switzerland, on June 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

Europe is the fastest-warming continent, report says

Europe is the fastest-warming continent and its temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average, two top climate monitoring organizations reported on Monday, warning of the consequences for human health, glacier melt and economic activity.

By Jamey Keaten | News | April 22nd 2024

the Storm on the sea of Galilee by Rembrandt van rijn

CO2 jumped by record amount last year

Despite decades of global efforts to prevent a full-blown climate crisis, the primary driver of it — CO2 — continues to pile up in our atmosphere at an accelerating rate.

Race Against Climate Change

By Barry Saxifrage | Analysis, Climate Solutions Reporting | March 27th 2024

A windsurfer cuts through the waves along Lake Ontario overlooking the City of Toronto skyline on a warm winter day in Mississauga, Ont., on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. File photo by The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

Canada's warmest winter on record

The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

By Jordan Omstead | News | March 19th 2024

Celeste Saulo, of Argentina, poses after she was elected as Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 1, 2023, in Geneva. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP, File)

Global heating is speeding up, says UN weather agency

The new chief of the World Meteorological Organization said it looks to her that the rate of human-caused climate change is accelerating and that warming has triggered more Arctic cold outbreaks in North America and Europe, weighing in on two issues that divide climate scientists.

By Seth Borenstein | News, Politics | February 8th 2024

People enjoy time at the beach in Aci Trezza, near Catania, Sicily, Italy, on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli, File)

Hottest temperature ever reached in Europe was Sicily at 119.8 degrees: UN agency

The World Meteorological Organization says the Sicilian scorcher was picked up on Aug. 11, 2021, at a time when temperatures were soaring across much of Europe — renewing concerns about climate change caused by human activity.

By Associated Press | News | January 30th 2024

Two groups from the Poseidon Expeditions look at a glacier as it sits on the water line in the Scoresby Sund, on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Greenland. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)

UN agency cites continued warming trend as COP28 summit grapples with curbing climate change

The United Nations weather agency is reporting that glaciers shrank more than ever from 2011 and 2020 and the Antarctic ice sheet lost 75 percent more compared to the previous ten years, as it released its latest stark report about the fallout on the planet from climate change.

By Jamey Keaten | News | December 5th 2023

Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of World Meteorological Organization (WMO), speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

UN weather agency says 2023 is the hottest year on record and warns of further climate extremes ahead

The U.N. weather agency says 2023 is all but certain to be the hottest year on record and warns of worrying trends that suggest more floods, wildfires, glacier melt and heat waves in the future.

By Jamey Keaten & Bassam Hatoum | News | November 30th 2023

Climate data saves lives. Most countries can’t access it

As climate-driven deaths rise, a report finds only 23 per cent of countries use climate data to inform their public health strategies.

Race Against Climate Change

By Zoya Teirstein | News, Politics | November 27th 2023

Dozers help with fire suppression operations on the night shift on the Grandview Fire in Oregon. Photo by Central Oregon District - Oregon Department of Forestry (National Interagency Fire Center)/Flickr

Climate crisis costing $16M an hour in extreme weather damage

A new analysis shows at least $2.8 trillion in damage from 2000 to 2019 through worsened storms, floods and heat waves.

Race Against Climate Change

By Damian Carrington | News | October 26th 2023

A person walks along a trail as the sun sets, July 16, 2023, in Death Valley National Park, Calif. File photo by The Associated Press/John Locher

More Americans view climate change as a culprit after summer of extremes

Kathleen Maxwell has lived in Phoenix for more than 20 years, but this summer was the first time she felt fear, as daily high temperatures soared to 110 degrees or hotter and kept it up for a record-shattering 31 consecutive days.

By Tammy Webber & Linley Sanders | News, US News | September 25th 2023

World Meteorological Organization

Pages