The World Meteorological Organization’s 2025 State of the Global Climate report has confirmed that Earth’s climate is experiencing its highest-ever energy imbalance, with the years 2015 to 2025 being the hottest on record. The report highlights that over 90 percent of excess heat is absorbed by oceans, leading to record ocean temperatures, accelerated sea-level rise, and increased frequency of extreme weather events. Key climate indicators, including greenhouse gas concentrations and glacier mass loss, are at critical levels.According to The Guardian, the WMO’s findings show that the Earth’s energy imbalance has increased by about 11 zettajoules per year between 2005 and 2025, which is equivalent to 18 times total human energy use. The majority of this excess energy is stored in the oceans, which experienced the highest heat content in history last year, with the rate of ocean warming more than doubling over the past two decades.As reported by Hindustan Times, the WMO has, for the first time, included Earth’s energy imbalance as a key climate indicator. The report states that only 1 percent of the excess energy warms the atmosphere, while 5 percent is stored in land masses and 3 percent melts ice. The rest is absorbed by the oceans, which act as a buffer but are now reaching critical thresholds.As highlighted by The Indian Express, the report notes that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are at their highest levels in at least 800,000 years. The annual increase in CO2 concentration in 2024 was the largest since modern measurements began, driven by continued fossil fuel emissions and reduced effectiveness of natural carbon sinks.Analysis showed that these changes are already affecting food security, migration, and health, with extreme weather events causing thousands of deaths and billions in economic losses in 2025."The state of the global climate is in a state of emergency. Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as cited in multiple reports.Midway through the report, coverage revealed that the warming of the oceans is now considered irreversible on timescales of centuries to millennia. Even significant emissions reductions today would not halt ocean warming this century due to the entrenched energy imbalance in the Earth system.Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, wildfires, floods, and tropical cyclones, have intensified, with reporting indicated that over a third of the global workforce faces workplace heat risk annually. Dengue fever, now the fastest-growing mosquito-borne disease, and climate-driven food insecurity are among the cascading impacts on health and livelihoods.Scientific advances have improved understanding of the energy imbalance, but further details confirm that the consequences of current disruptions will persist for hundreds or thousands of years. The WMO report does not make policy recommendations but urges governments and organisations to use its findings to prepare for and adapt to intensifying extreme weather and its societal impacts."Human activities are increasingly disrupting the natural equilibrium, and we will live with these consequences for hundreds and thousands of years," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.At the end of the report, as details emerged, the WMO emphasised the urgent need for a transition to renewable energy, highlighting that renewables deliver climate, energy, and national security. The organisation calls for accelerated action to address the root causes of the crisis and to mitigate further destabilisation of the global climate system.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.