2021 is one of seven hottest years on record, WMO says

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) research, released Wednesday, January 19, shows that even though the global average temperature has temporarily dropped due to the La Nina events of 2020-2022, the year 2021 remains one of the seven hottest on record.

Despite record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, long-term climate change is expected to continue due to global warming, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization says in a new synthesis of six large datasets from international organizations in the climate field.

In 2021, average global temperatures were approximately 1.11°C hotter than they were during pre-industrial times (period 1850-1900), observes the report, noting that it is clear from all WMO datasets analyzed that global temperatures exceeded pre-industrial levels for the seventh consecutive year (2015-2021).

WMO synthesizes six international datasets to estimate temperatures in the most accurate and comprehensive manner. A climate indicator report using the same data is published every year by the Geneva-based organization to inform the international community about global climate changes.

Considering the sometimes small differences between years, it’s necessary to consider their ranking long-term, say the authors of the report, noting that, since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the previous one. Future trends indicate that this pattern will continue.

Since 2015, seven of the hottest years have been recorded, with 2016, 2019, and 2020 topping the list. In 2016, a record-breaking El Nio episode contributed to a record global warming, according to the same source.

“Due to consecutive La Niña episodes, warming temperatures have been relatively less pronounced in 2021 than in recent years. The year 2021 was, all the same, warmer than those which have been influenced by La Niña in the recent past”, indicated the secretary-general of the OMM, Mr. Petteri Taalas, quoted by a press release.

“The long-term global warming due to the increase in greenhouse gases is now much more marked than the annual variability of the average global temperatures caused by natural climatic factors,” the same source clarifies.

“The year 2021 will be remembered due to a temperature record of almost 50°C recorded in Canada – a temperature comparable to the values ​​recorded in the Sahara in Algeria – exceptional rainfall and deadly floods in Asia and Europe as well as droughts in parts of Africa and South America. The effects of climate change and weather-related hazards have had catastrophic consequences for people on all continents,” added Mr. Taalas.