WMO Report Warns Climate Extremes and El Niño Threaten Global Economies and Ecosystems

The world is heading toward another year of climate extremes, with 2026 continuing a record-breaking trend of rising temperatures, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels. A strong El Niño is projected to drag the crisis into 2027, intensifying heatwaves, storms, and extreme rainfall.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) State of the Climate Update 2026, the past 12 years have all been the warmest on record, with the last four consecutive years marking the warmest periods in history. The global average surface temperature for January through September 2026 was approximately 1.47°C above the pre-industrial average. This figure is expected to rise further by the end of the year, driven by an El Niño forecast to be the strongest on record by December.

The Earth's energy imbalance is increasing as the planet's systems absorb heat at an accelerating rate. Greenhouse gases are trapping unprecedented amounts of heat, disrupting the balance between incoming solar energy and outgoing energy. Approximately 90 percent of this extra heat is absorbed by the ocean, placing 2026 on course to be the tenth consecutive year of record ocean heat.

In 2026, sea levels reached their highest point on record, and monthly sea surface temperature records were broken. The long-term retreat of glaciers continues, with the annual mass loss of ice in 2025 equivalent to filling five Olympic pools every second of the year. Additionally, freshwater storage has been declining since 2014.

The current El Niño is anticipated to act as a risk multiplier for global health and economic infrastructure. More heat, drought, and heavy rainfall contribute to heat-related illnesses, wildfire smoke, poor air quality, malnutrition, food insecurity, and changing risks for water- and vector-borne diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified these anticipated health impacts as a health emergency for the first time.

Regional impacts have already been documented. An estimated 146.5 million people in India were exposed to extreme heat during a heatwave in April 2026. Furthermore, the collapse of a Himalayan glacier and a subsequent flash flood in late August killed more than 1,300 people, significantly impacting Nepal’s economy.

"The findings from the WMO report highlight significant macro-level risks that directly impact supply chains, logistics, agriculture, and workforce productivity. As extreme weather events and health emergencies become more frequent, businesses and startups must factor climate resilience and risk management into their long-term operational and financial planning to navigate economic uncertainties ahead." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes