UN issues global climate warning: Earth in critical energy imbalance, El Nino threat grows

The Earth is once again at the mercy of an unprecedented climate change crisis marked by the critical energy imbalance than at any time in recorded history, warned by the UN’s weather agency.

According to The World Meteorological Organization, the planet is gaining much more energy than it is releasing, leading to the record warming of oceans.

The State of the Climate Report mentioned that more than 90 percent of excess heat is often absorbed by the oceans, which experienced the record-breaking heat content in history last year. Consequently, the rate of ocean warming has more than doubled over the past two decades.

The last 11 years were the Earth's 11 warmest years in records stretching back to 1850, reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The authors of the latest reports also highlight that the increasing vulnerability of Earth is driven by anthropogenic activities, burning of coal, and releasing of greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide.

The current imbalance is tracked for the first time in the new report, demonstrating the Earth’s energy imbalance increased by about 11 zettajoules a year between 2005 and 2025, which is equivalent to about 18 times total human energy use.

To make matters worse is the looming threat of El Nino, the natural warming phase, which will deepen the global climate crisis and cause extreme weather events.

According to scientists, the El Nino phase could form in the Pacific Ocean in the second half of 2026, which would cause unprecedented temperatures in 2027.

"If we transition to El Niño we will see an increase in global temperature again, and potentially to new records" said Dr John Kennedy of the WMO.

In response to the alarming report, the UN Secretary General António Guterres has urged the countries and international community to wean off their dependence from fossil fuels and adopt renewable energy options.

"Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red," he warned in a video address.

The UN chief added, “Humanity has just endured the 11 hottest years on record. When history repeats itself 11 times, it is no longer a coincidence. It is a call to act.”