The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently published its annual State of the Global Climate for 2020 report. According to the report, the world endured comprehensive impacts of climate change and extreme weather events alongside the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite economic slowdowns related to the pandemic, climate change factors and associated effects are accelerating.
Global Temperature: Record Highs
In 2020, despite a cooling La Niña event, global temperatures ranked in the top three warmest years on record. The average global temperature rose approximately 1.2° Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). Notably, the six warmest years on record have occurred since 2015, with the past decade registering as the warmest overall.
Greenhouse Gases: Increase in Emissions
Emissions of prominent greenhouse gases saw a noteworthy rise in 2019 and 2020, a trend expected to continue in 2021. Concentrations of these gases in the atmosphere also increased during this period. Current readings of carbon dioxide fractions exceed 410 parts per million (ppm), and 2021 could see this rise to or surpass 414 ppm if trends continue.
Oceans: Record Heat Content
Oceanic heat content reached unprecedented levels in 2019, and 2020 broke this record. Over 80% of ocean areas experienced at least one marine heatwave last year, characterized by seawater temperatures exceeding seasonal norms for five or more consecutive days.
Sea-Level Rise: Ongoing Increases
Since satellite altimeter record-keeping began in 1993, sea levels have consistently risen. Recent accelerations in melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica cause higher rising rates.
The Arctic and Antarctica: Significant Shifts
The Arctic sea-ice extent in 2020 was the second-lowest on record. Siberian Arctic temperatures were over 3°C above average in some areas. In contrast, Antarctic sea-ice extent remained near long-term averages, but a strong loss trend in its ice sheet has been observed since the late 1990s.
Extreme Weather Events in India: Monsoons and Cyclones
India experienced one of its wettest monsoons in 26 years in 2020, leading to severe floods and landslides. Cyclone Amphan, hitting Kolkata in May 2020, is considered the costliest tropical cyclone for the North Indian Ocean region, causing an estimated loss of USD 14 billion.
Climate Impact: Extreme Weather Situations and Human Mobility Issues
Globally, people faced numerous challenges in 2020, from battling a pandemic to dealing with extreme weather like storms, cyclones, heavy rainfalls, and record heat. This extreme weather impacted responses and recovery efforts during the pandemic. Additionally, mobility restrictions and economic downturns due to Covid-19 affected the delivery of humanitarian aid to vulnerable and displaced populations, adding another layer to existing climate risk concerns.
About World Meteorological Organization
The WMO is an intergovernmental organization with 192 Member States and Territories, including India. Established on 23rd March 1950, it evolved from the International Meteorological Organization. The WMO operates under the United Nations as the specialized agency for meteorology, operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences. Its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland.