Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published a report called the State of the Global Climate 2022. The report detailed the changes in crucial climate indicators, such as Greenhouse Gasses, Temperatures, Sea level rise, Ocean Heat and Acidification, Sea ice, and Glaciers. Additionally, the report outlined the repercussions of climate change and severe weather conditions. Notably, this release follows the provisional State of the Global Climate report of 2022 issued earlier.
Findings from the Report
Firstly, the global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15 °C higher than the 1850-1900 average. Remarkably, the years from 2015 to 2022 have been recorded as the eight warmest since 1850, despite three successive La Niña cooling years.
Greenhouse Gases
The concentrations of Carbon dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous oxide, the three primary greenhouse gases, attained record highs in 2021. Furthermore, the annual increase in methane concentration from 2020 to 2021 was the highest ever recorded.
Sea Level Rise
The Global Mean Sea Level (GMSL) continued to rise in 2022, setting a new high for the satellite altimeter record. Total land ice loss from glaciers, Greenland, and Antarctica contributed 36% to the GMSL rise, and ocean warming contributed 55% from 2005 to 2019.
Ocean Heat and Acidification
In 2022, ocean heat content reached a new record. Around 90% of energy trapped in the climate system by greenhouse gases is absorbed into the ocean, causing risks to marine ecosystems. Also, ocean surface pH is the lowest it has been for at least 26,000 years due to rapid ‘ocean acidification’ caused by the reaction of CO2 with seawater.
Decline in Sea Ice and Glaciers
Sea ice in Antarctica dropped to a record low of 1.92 million km2 in February 2022. Glaciers have also seen significant losses, with a thickness change of over (-) 1.3 meters on average between October 2021 and October 2022, largely exceeding the past decade’s average. In particular, the European Alps experienced record glacier melt due to a lack of winter snow and heatwaves from May to early September.
Impacts of Record Highs in Climate Indicators
The severe drought in East Africa resulted in below-average rainfall for five consecutive wet seasons, leaving over 20 million people facing acute food insecurity. Record-breaking rain in Pakistan caused economic losses assessed at USD 30 billion, affecting about 33 million people, including approximately 800,000 Afghan refugees.
Heatwaves coupled with exceptionally dry conditions in Europe led to over 15,000 excess deaths across Spain, Germany, the UK, France, and Portugal. Furthermore, China experienced the most extensive and prolonged heatwave since national records began, causing the hottest and second-driest summer on record.
Around 2.3 billion people faced food insecurity worldwide in 2021, and 767.9 million people could face undernourishment. Countries like India and Pakistan faced declining crop yields due to pre-monsoon heatwaves further amplifying food security issues.
Finally, drought led to the displacement of nearly 1.2 million people in Somalia, with more than 60,000 people moving to Ethiopia and Kenya during the same period. Meanwhile, Somalia also hosted around 35,000 refugees and asylum seekers in areas affected by drought.
About the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
The WMO, of which India is a member, is an intergovernmental organization made up of 192 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), established after the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress. On 23rd March 1950, following the ratification of the WMO Convention, WMO became a specialized agency of the United Nations overseeing meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences. The WMO has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.