Overview
- The State of the Climate report, which was published Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, finds seven of 16 tracked planetary vital signs are at record extremes and several others are accelerating.
- Atmospheric greenhouse gases hit new highs in 2026 with carbon dioxide exceeding about 428 parts per million in May, a level roughly 50% above pre‑industrial concentrations.
- Global warming has sped up to roughly 0.36°C per decade for 2010–2024 and the authors say 2°C of warming could be reached before 2050 at current rates.
- Fossil fuel use rose 0.9% in 2025 and energy‑related CO2 emissions topped 41 gigatons for the first time even as low‑carbon power supplied about 43% of global electricity in 2025.
- The report links recent deadly extreme events and irreversible damage to some systems—notably coral reefs reaching a tipping point in 2025—and calls for rapid emissions cuts, fast adaptation measures, and justice‑focused societal change.