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The Planetary Climate Vital Signs Report 2026, released during the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB64), warns that all major planetary climate indicators have deteriorated since the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), indicating an accelerating global climate crisis.

What is the Planetary Climate Vital Signs Report 2026?

• The Planetary Climate Vital Signs Report 2026 is a global scientific assessment published in the journal Earth System Science Data by nearly 70 scientists from 17 countries.
• It provides updated measurements of key climate indicators between successive IPCC assessment cycles, enabling policymakers to monitor real-time changes in global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, ocean warming, and climate extremes.
• Unlike the periodic IPCC assessments, the report serves as an interim scientific update, tracking the changing state of the Earth's climate system.

Key Findings

The report concludes that all 11 major climate indicators assessed have worsened since the IPCC AR6, confirming that climate change is accelerating.

Among the most significant findings:

• Marine heatwaves recorded the fastest deterioration, increasing by 1%, making them the most rapidly worsening climate indicator.
• Earth's Energy Imbalance (EEI) increased by 8%, indicating greater accumulation of heat within the Earth's climate system.
• Human-induced global warming reached 1.37°C above pre-industrial levels in 2025, while maximum daily temperatures continued to rise.
• Global greenhouse gas emissions reached a record 58.8 billion tonnes of CO?-equivalent, driven primarily by fossil fuel combustion.
• At the present rate of warming, the world could breach the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C threshold within approximately four years.
• During 2016–2025, average land temperatures increased by 1.81°C, while ocean temperatures rose by 1.03°C, reflecting the growing influence of anthropogenic climate change.
• The Indian Ocean is projected to experience 220–250 marine heatwave days annually by 2100, compared to about 20 days historically, indicating a profound shift in oceanic conditions.

Implications

The report warns that rising temperatures will intensify heatwaves, droughts, floods, wildfires, and extreme weather events, increasing socio-economic and ecological vulnerabilities worldwide.

Agriculture and food security are expected to face growing challenges due to declining crop productivity, altered rainfall patterns, and increased climate variability. Persistent marine heatwaves threaten coral reefs, fisheries, marine biodiversity, and coastal livelihoods, while the warming Indian Ocean could disrupt the South Asian monsoon, intensify tropical cyclones, reduce water security, and increase heat stress across the Indian subcontinent.