Climate Week: Record Heat Signals, Deadly Floods and a Shifting Economy

This week’s climate news shows a world already living with global warming.

Record temperatures, destructive floods and fresh economic analysis all point to the same message: the climate crisis is here now, not in the future.

Global temperatures: 2025 on track for near-record heat

New data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service shows 2025 is currently tied with 2023 as the second-warmest year on record.

Global temperatures from September to November were the third highest ever measured, sitting about 0.67°C above the 1991–2020 average.

A separate World Meteorological Organization “State of the Climate” update estimates that this year’s global temperature is already about 1.42°C above pre-industrial levels, averaged over January to August.

Scientists warn that while single years do not determine long-term goals, repeated record-breaking warmth makes keeping 1.5°C “alive” much harder.

Extreme flooding in Washington state shows atmospheric river power

In the United States, the Pacific Northwest has been hit by destructive flooding after a powerful “atmospheric river” funnelled moisture thousands of kilometres from the western Pacific.

Parts of Washington state saw up to a foot of rain, with six major rivers, including the Skagit and Snohomish, reaching dangerous flood levels.

Towns such as Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley declared emergencies as levees came under strain, schools closed and homes were inundated.

Officials say more than 3,800 people may need shelter, and another atmospheric river is forecast soon, raising fears of repeated flooding.

Researchers have long warned that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, increasing the intensity of heavy rain events.

As a result, storms like this are becoming a key symbol of how climate change turns “normal” weather into dangerous extremes.

Climate-linked downpours threaten Sri Lanka and the Malacca Strait

A new World Weather Attribution study examined recent extreme rainfall and flooding in Sri Lanka and along the Malacca Strait.

Scientists found that warming has already increased heavy rainfall and extreme flood heights, putting millions of people in low-lying areas at greater risk.

The analysis looked at events linked to Cyclone Ditwah, which brought intense rains and damaging floods earlier this year.

Researchers concluded that climate change has made such heavy downpours more likely and more intense, and warned that future storms could be even more destructive without rapid emissions cuts.

The report stresses that urbanisation on floodplains, deforestation and poor drainage amplify the danger.

However, it also notes that better forecasting, early-warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure can still save many lives.

Storms and heavy rain lash Australia’s east coast

In Australia, forecasters have warned of days of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain for eastern Victoria, New South Wales and southeast Queensland.

A coastal trough is feeding humid onshore winds, with some areas expected to receive more than 100mm of rain through the weekend.

Sydney is bracing for intense downpours, while the Central Coast and Hunter regions may see some of the heaviest falls.

This could bring short-term relief for landscapes affected by recent bushfires, yet it also raises the risk of flash flooding, landslides and power outages.

Meteorologists say that in a warmer climate, swings between fire weather and flooding rain are likely to become more common.

Meanwhile, emergency services are urging residents to clear gutters, avoid driving through floodwaters and stay alert to changing warnings.

Climate economics: study shows growth can decouple from emissions

Amid the extreme weather, a new analysis has brought a rare note of cautious optimism.

A report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, released for the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, finds that 92% of the global economy has managed to grow while reducing or stabilising carbon emissions.

The study highlights 21 countries that expanded their economies while cutting consumption-based CO₂ over the past decade, and another 22 that kept up this trend both before and after 2015.

China stands out: since 2015 its economy has grown by more than 50%, but emissions have risen only 24% and have recently plateaued as the country moves away from coal.

Overall, the growth rate of global CO₂ emissions has slowed sharply compared with the decade before Paris, helping to bring projected end-of-century warming down from roughly 4°C to about 2.6°C.

However, scientists and economists stress that this is still far above the 1.5°C goal, meaning the next ten years must deliver much faster cuts to avoid more dangerous tipping points.

A world between warning signs and workable solutions

Taken together, this week’s climate stories show a world pulled between escalating impacts and emerging solutions.

Atmospheric rivers, tropical cyclones and slow-moving storms are already testing flood defences from Washington state to Sri Lanka and Australia’s east coast.

At the same time, new data on temperatures and emissions confirms that policies since Paris have bent the curve—but not enough to claim victory.

For governments, businesses and communities, the challenge now is to turn these warnings into rapid action on clean energy, resilience and climate-safe development.

Featured Image: Washington Post

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Hamidur Rahim Mahir

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