World enters ‘new age of climate extremes’, UN chief tells COP31

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres declared that the world is entering an era of climate extremes at the COP31 climate conference in Turkey. He warned that a supercharged El Nino is colliding with a planet already heated by human-induced climate change, ushering in a new age of unprecedented weather events. Speaking at the UN climate summit in Antalya, Guterres called on leaders to prioritize cutting emissions, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and providing finance and protection to vulnerable nations.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) corroborated Guterres' concerns, reporting that 2026 has continued a trend of exceptional global temperatures, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels. The past 12 years have ranked among the hottest 12 years on record, with 2026 expected to join the four hottest years in history. The WMO chief, Celeste Saulo, cautioned that the current El Nino, likely the strongest since 1950, could trigger additional record-breaking heat and extreme weather events in 2027.

Preliminary data from WMO climate information chief John Kennedy suggests that 2026 is already among the four hottest years on record. The global average surface temperature from January to September 2026 was approximately 1.47 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average. The WMO also reported that 2026 marked the highest global sea level on record, with freshwater resources dwindling and glaciers continuing their retreat.

While acknowledging positive developments, such as a significant increase in the number of countries with multi-hazard early warning systems, Saulo urged COP31 to invest in sustained global observations, data-gathering, and forecasting to effectively manage these imminent weather risks.