COP30: A Crucial Moment – and How WEMC Is Helping Turn Climate Science Into Action

COP30 brings climate impacts into sharper focus and informs the priorities and responses needed now. Current data will guide discussions and concrete action. Last week, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its State of the Climate —> Update for COP30—a science-based snapshot providing reliable, up-to-date evidence to support discussions and decisions at COP30. 

The Update combines the most recent observations from 2025 with carefully verified data from 2024. Some indicators, like global temperature and sea-level rise, can be monitored almost in real time. Others—such as greenhouse gas concentrations or glacier mass balance—require more time to ensure accuracy and verification. Together, these datasets provide a robust view of ongoing climate change and its impacts on people, economies, and ecosystems worldwide. 

The Update provides solid evidence for negotiations, highlights key climate indicators and  serve as a bridge to deeper datasets and analyses for those seeking more detailed information. 

What the State of the Climate Update Reveals 

This year’s assessment delivers ten clear messages. Here are just a few highlights:

• Greenhouse gases: CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide all reached new record highs. 

• Temperatures: Global temperatures remain dangerously elevated—1.42°C above pre-industrial levels from January to August 2025. 

• Melting glaciers: A record loss of 1.3 metres of ice in 2023/24. 

• Sea ice: Arctic sea ice recorded its lowest March extent ever; Antarctic ice remains far below average. 

• Oceans: Ocean heat content hit a record high in 2024 and continues to climb. 

• Extremes: Floods, droughts, and storms increasingly displace people and disrupt food and energy systems. 

• Renewable energy: Climate variability is shaping supply and demand more than ever, highlighting the need for climate-smart energy planning. 

And this last point is where WEMC’s contribution plays a central role.

WEMC’s Contribution: Understanding Climate Variability and Clean Energy 

 As part of the Update, WEMC contributed to renewable energy analysis, highlighting how climate variability influenced energy production over the past year: “Climate variability continued to impact renewable energy production.” 

This analysis conveys a straightforward but important point: renewable energy systems are tightly linked to climate patterns, and planning with this in mind is essential to ensure reliability and resilience. 

The data tells the story: 

• South America: Ongoing drought reduced hydropower output, while extreme heat drove up electricity demand for cooling. 

• South Asia: Lower-than-usual wind and solar production collided with above-average demand, creating strain on the power system. 

• Southern Africa: The strong El Niño boosted wind and solar resources, increasing output by up to 3.4%—enough to power an estimated 120,000 homes. 

• Worldwide: Record heat in 2024 pushed global energy demand 4% above the 1991–2020 average. 

These patterns reinforce a key message of the report: as renewable capacity grows, climate-informed planning is essential. From seasonal wind forecasts to hydropower stress predictions and grid planning, climate data is now a core tool for energy decision-makers—exactly the type of work WEMC has championed for over a decade. 

Continuing Our Contribution at COP30 

WEMC’s work does not end with the State of the Climate Update. At COP30, we continue contributing to the global effort to connect climate science with clean energy action. This includes serving as lead author of the forthcoming WMO–IRENA Climate and Energy Report, which will be launched during COP30 and provides a deeper look at how climate variability influences renewable energy generation, planning, and resilience. 

This contribution aligns closely with themes being explored at the WMO Energy Side Event, which will examine how climate information can be used to strengthen clean energy systems in the face of increasing variability. The session will discuss how shifting patterns in temperature, wind, and rainfall are affecting renewable energy around the world, how countries are using forecasts and hydrological data to guide energy investments, and the steps needed to close knowledge gaps and scale up climate-ready energy systems. 

Together, these discussions reinforce the same message highlighted in the Update: climate-informed energy decisions are essential for building systems that are reliable, resilient, and aligned with long-term decarbonisation goals. WEMC remains committed to supporting that mission — at COP30 and beyond. 

Why This Matters 

COP30 is a turning point. Science is telling us—clearly, consistently, and urgently—what is happening and what is at stake. But it also shows the path forward: collaboration, clean energy, early warnings, and climate-informed decisions. 

WEMC is proud to support the WMO and the global community by bringing climate science into the heart of energy planning. As the world moves through COP30, this partnership between data and decision-making has never been more important.