There is a 50% chance that, during the next five years, the global average surface temperature will exceed 1.5°C above the preindustrial average for the first time in an individual year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported Monday.
Why it matters: Under the Paris Agreement, countries are seeking to limit global warming to 1.5°C of warming compared to preindustrial levels, in order to minimize the potential for devastating climate change impacts.
