New Study Shows Global Warming Speeding Up Significantly Since Mid-2010s
Researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research have found that the planet’s warming rate has accelerated to about 0.35 °C per decade over the past ten years, faster than any previous decade since records began.
A joint analysis by scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research removed known short-term climate drivers to isolate the underlying warming signal. Their results show a rise of roughly 0.35 °C per decade over the last ten years, a rate higher than any prior decade since instrumental records began in 1880. This acceleration is evident in five independent global temperature compilations—NASA, NOAA, HadCRUT, Berkeley Earth and ERA5—and is supported by two statistical methods, a quadratic trend and a piecewise linear model, both indicating a clear shift around 2013-2015.
The study does not pinpoint the cause, but notes that such speed-ups are consistent with current climate model behavior. Lead author Stefan Rahmstorf warned that if the current trend continues, the 1.5 °C Paris Agreement threshold could be breached before 2030, underscoring the urgency of cutting CO₂ emissions.
Why it matters
The faster warming rate raises the risk of crossing critical climate thresholds sooner than expected.
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