The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in its recent State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific report, reveals that ocean warming is rapidly devastating the region. The report highlights that sea level rise is threatening islands where more than half the population lives near the coast.
In 2024, the region recorded the highest sea-surface temperatures, with ocean heat content at near-record levels.
According to the report, up to 40 million km² (15.4 million square miles) were affected by marine heatwaves, equivalent to more than 10% of the global ocean surface area, roughly the size of Asia or four times that of Europe.
Climate shocks on land included extreme heat and rainfall, leading to deadly and devastating impacts. The report also documents the impact of tropical cyclones on the Philippines and the near-extinction of the last remaining tropical glacier in Indonesia’s New Guinea.
WMO Secretary-General Prof. Celeste Saulo noted that 2024 was the warmest year on record in the South-West Pacific region.
He warned that time is running out to reverse the tide, adding that ocean heat and acidification are inflicting long-lasting damage on marine ecosystems and economies. He emphasized that sea-level rise poses an existential threat to entire island nations.
The report, one of a series of annual WMO global and regional updates, aims to support decision-making for national and regional adaptation strategies and build resilience in a changing climate.
It was released to coincide with the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 in Geneva and in anticipation of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
The report includes a breakdown of climate-related occurrences worldwide, attributed to unprecedented climatic shifts. It notes a continued rise in temperatures, with 2024 being the warmest year on record, approximately 0.48°C above the 1991–2020 average, largely due to the ongoing influence of the 2023/2024 El Niño event.
The warming trend also led to a sharp decline in snow and ice across much of the South-west Pacific. In Indonesia, satellite imagery revealed a rapid loss of glacier ice in 2024, with the total ice area in western New Guinea shrinking by 30–50% since 2022. At the current rate of decline, total ice loss is projected by 2026 or soon thereafter.
The growing severity and frequency of climate shocks brought extreme rainfall and flooding that caused deadly and destructive impacts across the region. Major weather events in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines disrupted communities, infrastructure, and economies.
Notably, late 2024 saw an unusually active tropical cyclone season in the Philippines, with 12 storms occurring between September and November, more than double the average. Across this sequence, more than 13 million people were affected in 17 of the country’s 18 regions, with over 1.4 million displaced.
