By Our Correspondent

National News – The United Nations has warned that global temperatures may reach new record highs before 2031, raising fresh concerns about climate change and extreme weather across the world.

The warning was issued by the World Meteorological Organisation on Thursday in a new climate outlook covering the years 2026 to 2030.

According to the report, there is an 86 per cent chance that at least one year within the period will become hotter than 2024, currently regarded as the warmest year on record.

The agency also projected a 75 per cent chance that average global temperatures during the five-year period will exceed the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels.

The WMO explained that the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions remains the major reason behind the warming trend.

Scientists also predicted that an El Nino climate event expected towards the end of 2026 could increase the likelihood of 2027 becoming another record-breaking year.

The report noted that the last El Nino contributed to the extreme heat recorded in 2023 and 2024.

El Nino is a natural weather pattern that causes unusual warming in parts of the Pacific Ocean and affects rainfall, temperatures and wind conditions globally.

The agency further revealed that Arctic regions are expected to warm at a much faster rate than the global average over the next five winters.

It also forecast wetter conditions in parts of northern Europe, the Sahel, Alaska and Siberia, while drier conditions may persist in the Amazon region.

Although temporary breaches of the 1.5 degrees target do not mean the Paris climate agreement has failed, climate experts warned that repeated increases in global temperatures could worsen floods, droughts, heatwaves and food insecurity worldwide.