The Climate Situation: Several Alarming Records

 

Christina Nordh

Published 17:19

The new climate report makes for truly terrifying reading.

In area after area, records are being broken—and not in a good way.

“This is a fairly expected development,” says Professor Erik Kjellström.

The quick version

• The WMO report predicts that 2026 will be one of the four warmest years on record, with sea levels and ocean surface temperatures reaching record highs. 
• Between June and August 2026, 50,391 people in Europe died from heat-related causes; 32,619 of these deaths are attributed to human-induced climate change.
• Sweden has experienced warming at twice the global average rate, with distinct seasonal shifts and an increased risk of both flooding and drought.

On the first day of COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its *State of the Climate 2026* report.

Over the past twelve years, several temperature records have been broken. In the first nine months of this year alone, the Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.47 degrees—and this is without even accounting for this year’s powerful El Niño event.

The WMO now expects 2026 to be one of the four warmest years ever recorded. Furthermore, both sea levels and ocean surface temperatures are at record highs. The report also points out that, in addition to economic losses associated with this year’s floods, extreme heat, forest fires, and droughts, there has also been a human toll in the form of heat-related deaths.

According to a new study published in *Nature* on October 31, an estimated 50,391 people died from heat-related causes between June and August 2026 across 854 European cities. Of these, 32,619 deaths are attributed to human-induced climate change.

"There is a great deal of discussion regarding health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that we are facing a state of emergency or crisis concerning human health for the coming year, largely due to the disruptive effects of El Niño," says Erik Kjellström, a professor of climatology at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI).

"The fires are part of this. The heat itself causes problems—not only through heatwaves but also by fueling extensive forest fires. Furthermore, there is a high risk of drought, which could lead to failed harvests—or, in many places, significantly reduced yields."

What are the most striking findings in the WMO report?

"The fact that warming continues at a rapid pace, and that we are quickly approaching the 1.5-degree threshold above pre-industrial levels—a limit we globally agreed to try to avoid. We are already witnessing many serious impacts of climate change."

The climate appears to be collapsing in several areas; is it possible to reverse this trend?

"Yes—by reducing and ultimately eliminating greenhouse gas emissions."

When will climate change become noticeable to the vast majority of people in sweden?

– It already is. We have seen long-term warming in Sweden—roughly twice the global average. This is accompanied by a clear shift in our seasons, both in terms of duration—with shorter winters and longer summers—and in their overall character. We are seeing increased precipitation, bringing a risk of flooding from heavy rainfall, but also growing issues related to drought.

Should we be concerned about this trend?

– Yes, very much so.