Ziggy Ojiegbe

Climate shocks are increasingly disrupting food production, straining healthcare systems, worsening water shortages and displacing vulnerable communities across the globe as extreme weather events grow more severe and frequent, the World Meteorological Organization has warned.

The warning came in a new report on the state of the climate in Latin America and the Caribbean, which highlighted how record-breaking heatwaves, deadly floods, prolonged droughts and intensifying hurricanes are exposing millions of people to rising humanitarian risks.

According to the report, temperatures across Latin America and the Caribbean remained significantly above average in 2025, while rising sea levels and extreme weather events continued to intensify across the region.

The WMO said worsening climate extremes are placing increasing pressure on agricultural production and agro-food systems, threatening livelihoods, food access and rural economies.

Extreme heat emerged as one of the most serious threats during the year, with temperatures rising above 40°C across large parts of the region, including a record-breaking 52.7°C in Mexico. Temperatures above 44°C were also recorded in Brazil and Paraguay.

The agency warned that heatwaves are becoming a major public health danger, particularly for low-income and vulnerable communities with limited access to healthcare, cooling systems and reliable electricity.

Although many countries still do not routinely monitor heat-related mortality, the report estimated that around 13,000 people died annually from heat-related causes across 17 countries between 2012 and 2021.

Flooding and drought also caused widespread disruption across the region.

More than 110,000 people were affected by floods in Peru and Ecuador, while floods in Mexico killed 83 people and triggered landslides and major infrastructure damage.

At the same time, severe drought conditions affected up to 85 per cent of Mexico, causing major water shortages for agriculture and reservoirs despite the country experiencing its wettest June on record.

Water shortages were also reported across the Caribbean, while drought in southern South America increased wildfire risks and agricultural losses.

The report further warned that accelerating glacier melt in the Andes Mountains is creating long-term risks for regional water security.

According to the WMO, glaciers across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina are retreating rapidly, threatening freshwater supplies relied upon by nearly 90 million people for drinking water, agriculture, hydropower and industrial use.

“The signs of a changing climate are unmistakable across Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Celeste Saulo.

She described the report as both a scientific assessment and an urgent call for action.

“It calls on us to strengthen observations, invest in services, close early warning gaps, and ensure that climate information reaches those who need it most,” Saulo said.

The report also highlighted the growing threat posed by increasingly powerful tropical storms.

In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa became the first Category 5 hurricane on record to make landfall in Jamaica, killing 45 people and causing economic losses estimated at more than 41 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

The WMO warned that rising sea levels and warming oceans are increasing risks for coastal communities, fisheries and marine ecosystems across the Caribbean and Atlantic coastlines, with sea levels in parts of the region rising faster than the global average.

The agency stressed that without urgent investments in climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and early warning systems, humanitarian conditions across vulnerable regions of the world will continue to deteriorate.