World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo has warned that 2025 is on track to be among the hottest years ever recorded, with global temperatures rising dangerously close to the limits set by the Paris Agreement.
Speaking at the General Plenary of the Belém Climate Summit, Saulo said the latest State of the Climate Update 2025 paints a stark picture of accelerating global warming.
“I stand before you today with the hard truth, as Secretary General Guterres has just said. We cannot defy the laws of physics. Science does not lie. The alarming streak of exceptional temperatures continues,” she said.
According to the WMO report, the average global temperature between January and August 2025 was about 1.42°C above pre-industrial levels. Concentrations of greenhouse gases are now the highest in 800,000 years, with carbon dioxide levels rising faster between 2023 and 2024 than at any time previously recorded.
“Ocean heat content is also record high, inflicting lasting damage on marine ecosystems and economies. Long-term sea level rise continues. Both Antarctic and Arctic sea ice are tracking at record lows,” Saulo said.
She added that the world is witnessing destructive weather “on a daily basis” from flash floods and heatwaves to super-charged tropical cyclones leaving behind lasting scars long after the news fades.
Saulo warned that the world is nearing a point where it will be “virtually impossible” to keep global warming below 1.5°C without temporarily overshooting the Paris Agreement target.
“Every fraction of a degree matters,” she stressed.
Despite the grim data, Saulo pointed to progress in adaptation and resilience, noting that early warning systems and climate services are saving lives and helping communities prepare.
“Across the globe, early warnings are saving lives. We are closing gaps in the world’s most vulnerable regions, helping communities act before hazards strike. Science is not only warning us; it is equipping us to adapt,” she said.
Ending her address with a call to action, Saulo urged world leaders to seize the moment at COP30.
“Let COP30 be remembered as the moment the world changed course with the Amazon as its witness. We can’t rewrite the laws of physics, but we can rewrite our path,” she said.
