Planetary extremes are ‘off the charts’ as world’s biggest climate talks kick off

🔦 Navigate COP31 unmissable events with our Insider's Guide 

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on CNN or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that climate extremes are reaching unprecedented levels, as COP31 opens in Türkiye
• Its latest assessment highlights record temperatures, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and intensifying extreme weather, with a powerful El Niño expected to amplify risks through 2027

🔭 The context: The past 12 years have been the warmest on record, while 2026 is expected to rank among the four hottest
• Global temperatures between January and September reached 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels
• Greenhouse gas concentrations continued to rise in 2025 and 2026, while ocean temperatures and sea levels reached new highs
• The strengthening El Niño could intensify heatwaves, droughts, floods and wildfires worldwide

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Climate extremes are increasingly damaging ecosystems, food production and livelihoods, while deepening poverty and humanitarian crises
• Europe's 2026 heatwaves are estimated to have killed more than 50,000 people, and climate-influenced disasters have caused devastating losses elsewhere
• The accelerating impacts underline the urgency of cutting emissions and strengthening adaptation

⏭️ What’s next: COP31 negotiations will focus on accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, expanding clean energy and determining how climate finance and protection reach vulnerable countries
• The WMO's findings reinforce calls for stronger national climate commitments, faster emissions reductions and greater investment in resilience

💬 One quote: “We have entered a new age of climate extremes.” - UN Secretary-General António Guterres

📈 One stat: Global temperatures between January and September 2026 averaged 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels, according to the WMO

Subscribe to our free newsletters to never miss a beat in sustainability.

The world needs sustainability knowledge. At illuminem, no interest group or shareholder can influence our work. Thank you for supporting our mission to make high-quality and independent sustainability information free for all. Every contribution helps. Thank you for donating today.