The State of the Global Climate is an annual benchmark series produced by the World Meteorological Organization, initiated in 1993, to provide a consistent, authoritative overview of observed changes in the global climate system.
The series compiles internationally standardised observations from multiple monitoring systems, including satellite data, in-situ measurements and peer-reviewed scientific datasets. It applies established climatological baselines and transparent methodologies to ensure comparability across years.
The purpose of the benchmark is to support consistent climate monitoring, long-term trend analysis and alignment across scientific, policy and economic decision-making. It is designed as a reference point rather than an interpretative or prescriptive assessment.
Finance professionals can use this series as a neutral evidence base to inform climate risk assessment, scenario analysis, disclosure frameworks, and strategic planning, particularly where consistency, credibility and longitudinal comparability of climate data are required.