• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

Meet a 71-year-old who retired as a radiologist and professor, and now runs a banana-skewer business: ‘I never want to retire. Why would you do that?’

3

Elon Musk’s DOGE swiped $329 million in humanitarian funding from Nepal, leaving a Gen Z tech revolution to transform the budding country’s economy

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

Meet a 71-year-old who retired as a radiologist and professor, and now runs a banana-skewer business: ‘I never want to retire. Why would you do that?’

3

Elon Musk’s DOGE swiped $329 million in humanitarian funding from Nepal, leaving a Gen Z tech revolution to transform the budding country’s economy
climate change

2018 Is on Track to Be the 4th Hottest Year on Record

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 29, 2018, 1:06 PM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The world is heating up.

According to a new report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2018 is on track to be the fourth hottest year on record.

Between January and October, the average global temperature was close to 1°C (1.8°F) above the pre-industrial baseline that was set between 1850 and 1900. But that increase doesn’t just apply to this year alone.

The WMO found that the past four years have been the top four hottest years on record, while the 20 hottest have all taken place in the last 22 years. The data is based on five independent global temperature data sets.

And the hottest is yet to come. The WMO suggests that global temperatures could continue to rise by as much as 3 to 5°C (5.4-9.0°F) this century alone—far above the global target of limiting that increase to 2°C (3.6°F) or less. Secretary-General Petteri Taalas further warned that if the world continues to exploit fossil fuel resources, “the temperature rise will be considerably higher.”

Deputy Secretary General Elena Manaenkova added that “every fraction of a degree of warming makes a difference to human health and access to food and fresh water, to the extinction of animals and plants, to the survival of coral reefs and marine life.”

“It makes a difference to economic productivity, food security, and to the resilience of our infrastructure and cities,” she said. “It makes a difference to the speed of glacier melt and water supplies, and the future of low-lying islands and coastal communities. Every extra bit matters.”

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.