Bill Hare comments on WMO 2025 Update

“More clear evidence from the WMO today that global temperatures continue to rise. This is yet another warning that governments are not acting fast enough and are sleepwalking toward climate disaster.

"With this warming we're seeing increasing climate disasters across the world, without let-up: from floods and heatwaves across South Asia and South East Asia, hurricanes in the Caribbean and widespread coral bleaching and wildfire. Those lucky enough to have insurance are seeing bills skyrocket. 

“There's still time to act and return temperatures to safe levels by the end of the century. Our modelling shows there is still a ‘highest possible ambition’ pathway that leads to returning to well below 1.5°C this century. But this can only happen if governments rapidly pivot from their largely weak and incremental steps to bold implementation of renewables, efficiency, and methane cuts, backed by scaled-up finance for vulnerable and poorer countries. 

“Our Climate Action Tracker team has shown that if governments implement the global goals they've already agreed  - to triple renewables, double efficiency, and reduce methane emissions - this would be a game changer that would  reduce projected warming by nearly one degree, taking  the world within 0.2-0.3°C of limiting warming to 1.5° or below, and cutting the rate of warming in half."

“The separate study showing ocean temperatures were also among the highest on record in 2025, is alarming. 

“From January 2023 to March 2025, 84% of the world’s coral reefs were impacted in the most intense global coral bleaching event ever, which continued for much of 2025. 

“Coral bleaching is largely caused by higher ocean temperatures. This recent massive and unprecedented global coral reef bleaching event signals that a tipping point has been reached or is extremely close for coral reefs. Research estimates this tipping point at 1.2°C of warming (range of 1.0°C-1.5°C) which could take place over a decade and lead to the inexorable death of many coral species.

“For Small Island Developing States, this tipping point is existential: the loss of coral reefs would directly jeopardise food, economic and territorial security. 

“We must act now to reduce emissions and set the world on a path back to well below 1.5°C to prevent further harm to our coral reefs and other crucial ecosystems.”

— Bill Hare, CEO and Senior Scientist, Climate Analytics