WMO: Asia is Heating up at Twice the Rate of Global Average in 2024

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently said that air temperature across Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average. Elaborated in a report titled 'The State of the Climate in Asia 2024,' the average temperature in Asia last year was recorded at approximately 1.04 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo mentioned that the report highlights changes in key climate indicators such as surface temperature, glacier mass, and sea level. "This will have major repercussions for societies, economies and ecosystems ," Saulo said on Monday, June 23, 2025 on WMO's official website.

Heatwaves, as referred to by the study, swept through most of the oceanic regions in 2024. Sea surface temperatures rose, including in Asia. The rate of global warming is also influenced by the rise in sea level on the Pacific side—the geographical region surrounding the Pacific Ocean, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and parts of America—as well as the Indian Ocean. This condition exacerbates the risk for coastal lowlands.

The scarcity of snow in winter, combined with extreme heat in summer, has had a detrimental impact on glacier structures in Asia. As many as 23 out of 24 glaciers in the central Himalayas and Tian Shan, for example, have lost mass. Consequently, the risk of floods due to glacial lake outbursts and landslides has increased. There is also a long-term risk to water security.

Another issue is extreme rainfall that wreaked havoc in many countries. The presence of tropical cyclones also leaves "a trail of destruction," while droughts greatly harm economies and agriculture.

“The work of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and their partners is more important than ever to save lives and livelihoods,” said Saulo.

According to WMO records, prolonged heatwaves hit East Asia from April to November 2024. Monthly average temperature records were broken one after another in Japan (respectively in April, July, and October), South Korea (April, June, August, and September), and China (April, May, August, September, and November).

Heatwaves were said to have engulfed Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Myanmar, one of the prominent affected areas, recorded a recent national temperature record of 48.2 degrees Celsius.

Saulo noted that the temperature increase is also influenced by human activities such as the greenhouse gas effect. There are atmospheric concentrations of three main greenhouse gases, namely carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

There is also the effect of anthropogenic CO2 emissions from human activities. The ocean absorbs about a quarter of the annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions into the atmosphere over the past decade. The interaction of CO2 with seawater alters its carbonate chemistry, causing a decrease in pH, known as ocean acidification.

As a precaution, WMO suggests the formulation of coordinated anticipatory measures globally. The organization also suggests early warning system construction, multi-stakeholder assistance, and rapid financing.

For the long term, the United Nations specialized organization emphasizes the urgency of establishing impact-based forecasting systems for flood cases, public education, specialized training and support, integrated water resources management, and sustainable agricultural practices.

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