This makes it the warmest 12-month period since record-keeping began in 1940.

However, this 12-month average does not mean the world has surpassed the 1.5 C (2.7 F) global warming threshold, which describes a temperature average over decades.

The UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also reported an 80% chance that at least one of the next five years will have an average temperature temporarily exceeding 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, up from a 66% chance last year.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged urgent action to prevent "climate hell." UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is moving away from stabilizing its climate system at an alarming rate.

In 2015, the chance of exceeding the 1.5-degree Celsius limit was close to zero, but with time running out, Guterres called for a 30% reduction in global fossil fuel production and use by 2030.

Last year, carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels reached a record high, despite efforts to reduce their release and the expansion of renewable energy.

Guterres described the current situation as being "way off track" and emphasized that the battle to keep global temperatures from rising by 1.5 degrees would be won or lost in the 2020s.

The world's energy is predominantly coming from coal, oil, and gas, with oil demand continuing to be robust.

However, the latest climate data indicate that the world is not on track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the key target of the 2015 Paris Accord.

WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett urged for more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, warning of the significant economic, human, and environmental costs of inaction.

The upcoming La Nina weather conditions, which may bring some cooling, are described as a temporary relief in the face of global warming trends.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2023 is on track to be one of the five warmest years on record, with temperatures 1.45 degrees Celsius (2.61 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

Scientists at Copernicus also noted surprising developments, such as the rapid loss of Antarctic sea ice.

Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo stated that the climate data align with projections of how rising greenhouse gas emissions will heat the planet.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized fossil fuel companies, accusing them of contributing to "climate chaos" and profiting from record profits and taxpayer subsidies.

The speaker is calling for a ban on advertising from fossil fuel companies, comparing it to restrictions on harmful substances like tobacco.

They are urging governments, news media, and tech companies to stop accepting fossil fuel advertising.