The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service released their annual report on January 14, 2026. It found that 2025 was the third warmest year in modern history and that each of the last 11 years was a record-breaking warm year.
But the most alarming data is the temperature of the oceans. The level of sea surface temperatures reached in late 2025 and early 2026 is ‘unimaginable’, according to scientists.
A ‘marine heatwave’ is now underway in vast areas of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. As a result, the strength of cyclones generated from seawater is increasing much more than before.
The 2026 forecast predicts that hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean may be 20% more numerous and intense than in previous years. The warming ocean is disrupting weather patterns and harming the reproduction and ecology of marine animals.
Economic analysis shows that extreme weather events could cost the global economy $3 trillion by 2026. Rising sea temperatures are disrupting fish migration and putting many island nations at risk of sinking.
The 2026 report serves as a critical wake-up call for world leaders. We need to seriously consider geo-engineering technologies like marine cloud brightening to reduce ocean warming, alongside cutting carbon emissions.
