Earth’s climate swings increasingly out of balance

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The World Meteorological Organization says Earth’s climate is now more out of balance than at any point in recorded history

🔭 The context: Greenhouse gas concentrations are accelerating warming across the atmosphere, oceans and ice systems
• 2015–2025 are the eleven hottest years on record, with 2025 around 1.43°C above pre-industrial levels
• Oceans absorb over 90% of excess heat, warming at more than double the rate seen in the late 20th century

🌊 Why it matters: The imbalance is driving long-term and potentially irreversible changes
• Ocean heat content is at record levels, equivalent to roughly 18 times annual human energy use each year
• Melting glaciers and ice sheets are accelerating sea-level rise, now about 11 cm higher than in 1993
• Ocean acidification and marine heatwaves are degrading ecosystems and weakening natural carbon sinks

⚠️ The big picture: Climate impacts are cascading across economies, ecosystems and societies
• Extreme weather events — heatwaves, floods, storms — are increasing in frequency and severity
• Food security, displacement and health risks are rising, with diseases like dengue expanding rapidly
• Climate stress is increasingly linked to geopolitical instability and global security risks

📊 What’s next: The report signals a narrowing window for action
• Current changes will last for centuries or longer due to ocean and ice system inertia
• Scientists stress the need for faster mitigation and adaptation to avoid compounding impacts
• Improved climate monitoring and early warning systems are critical to protect vulnerable populations

📈 One stat: The ocean is absorbing energy equivalent to about 18 times total annual human energy use every year

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