Seven of Earth’s “vital signs” are now at record extremes

A new report published this month has found that Earth’s climate system is moving deeper into uncharted territory, with authors putting it bluntly, “this is no longer a warning for the future; it is a diagnosis of the present.”

The 2026 State of the Climate report, published in the journal BioScience, looks at 16 “planetary vital signs”, including greenhouse gas levels, ocean heat, the mass of major ice sheets, the number of hot days and global surface temperature. Seven of the 16 are at record extremes, and several more show signs of accelerating or abruptly shifting. 

The picture painted is stark. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide all reached record levels again in 2026. Glacier thickness and the mass of the Greenland ice sheet are at record lows, while Arctic sea ice and Antarctic ice mass are close to record extremes. The authors say the crisis is no longer a future risk but a present reality. 

One point on numbers is that last year’s report tracked a wider set of 34 indicators, with 22 at record extremes. The 2026 report covers fewer measures, so the two can’t be compared directly to give a linear picture of the planetary signs changing.

The report was written by more than 60 international contributors, and it points to opportunities as well as challenges. With COP31 only weeks away, it sets the backdrop for talks on how quickly climate promises can turn into action.