World May Breach 1.5 Celsius Warming Within 5 Years: UN Climate Body

The World Meteorological Organization and Britain's Met Office today said world may temporarily breach the 1.5-Celsius warming mark within the next five years.

The world may temporarily breach the 1.5-Celsius warming mark within the next five years, according to an updated assessment of global climate trends released Thursday. The World Meteorological Organization and Britain's Met Office said there was a 40 percent chance of the annual average global temperature surpassing 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures -- the aspirational warming limit of the Paris climate accord. According to the Met Office's updated global 10-year climate prediction, there is a 90 percent chance of at least one year between 2021-2025 being the hottest on record. The annual average global temperature over the next five years is likely to be at least 1C warmer than pre-industrial levels, within a range of 0.9C-1.8C warmer, it said.