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Such warnings that extreme weather phenomena caused by global warming may occur more frequently and more severely in future in any place of the world continue to be sent out. 

Shortly ago, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report warning that the world average temperature will rise to a critical level in a few years due to global warming. According to it, in case the world depends on the current measures against global warming, the global mean temperature will be about 2.6℃ higher than that before the industrial revolution by 2100.

The goal of limiting the extent of global temperature rise to less than 1.5℃ from the pre-industrial revolution level was set in the Paris agreement on climate change which came into effect ten years ago.

But in March last year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that the extent of temperature rise in 2024 was 1.55℃ higher than before the industrial revolution, exceeding the ceiling for the first time.

The recent report predicted that the global average temperature would go up by about 1.8℃ over that of the pre-industrial revolution period, even though all nations attain the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emission set by themselves according to the Paris agreement and the total greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to zero by adding to it the amount absorbed into forests, seas and others.

The UNEP issued a report in November last year that the world’s greenhouse gas emissions reached a record high of 57.7 billion tons in terms of carbon dioxide.

The report also said that even if the signatories of the Paris agreement attain their carbon dioxide emissions reduction goals by 2035, the global mean temperature would rise by 2.3-2.5℃ over that of the pre-industrial revolution period and it would go up by 2.8℃ in the present century, if no urgent measures are taken.

BBC also warned that the extent of the global temperature rise would reach nearly 3℃ by the end of the century if the governments of all countries follow the current climate policy.

The climate disaster caused by global warming inflicts enormous human and material losses, and it is a grave crisis facing mankind.

The WMO has already noted that whenever the temperature rises by 1°C, the probability of intense heat, heavy rain and drought is increased.

According to a report of the organization, during the 1970-2019 period climate disasters, such as drought and flood, increased five times as a result of global warming and abnormal weather conditions and over 11 000 climate disasters occurred, killing more than 2 million people and incurring economic losses of US$3.64 trillion.

It is also a serious problem that global warming causes frequent forest fires and prolonged drought and they, in turn, further accelerate global warming to create a vicious cycle.

Big forest fires emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide.

About a half of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted remains in the air and the other half is absorbed into the land and sea, but the amount absorbed into the sea and land is drastically decreasing due to the temperature rise, drought and others.

Experts and international organizations claim that more efforts should be made to stop the accelerating global warming.