TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Climate change is causing shorter winters and hotter summers, resulting in rising global temperatures across the globe, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Their research predicts temperatures will hit record highs within the next five years, with a 66% probability of surpassing a 1.5 degrees Celsius increase above pre-industrial levels.
Meteorologist Peng Chi-ming explained, "With the upcoming El Niño cycle, sea temperatures are projected to increase further, potentially setting new record highs in the future."
"The rise in sea temperatures is closely linked to a corresponding global temperature increase," he added.
The onset of the El Niño cycle will further impede the oceans' ability to absorb heat from the land, leading to a widespread temperature increase.
Additionally, the southern oscillation mode may cause fluctuations in sea temperatures, releasing thermal energy back into the atmosphere and exacerbating the heat.
Despite countries committing to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5°C under the Paris climate agreement in 2015, the WMO warns that breaching this threshold will occur increasingly often, albeit temporarily.
"The 1.5 degrees Celsius climate threshold signifies that exceeding this limit would result in more frequent occurrences of extreme weather, including droughts, heat waves, and heavy rainfall," Peng said.
While the timeline remains a subject of debate, a March Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report suggests that surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold is highly likely within the next 10 years.
As scorching summers become more commonplace, the global community must prioritize energy conservation efforts to mitigate climate change worsening.
