Ireland vulnerable as critical 1.5°C global warming point looms within five years

Dr Diarmuid Torney said the Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update concludes that "extremes are going to get more extreme". File photo: Larry Cummins

The planet has been given a 50% chance of hitting a key global warming mark during at least one of the next five years, with experts warning this could bring extreme weather events to Ireland.

A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has found there is a 50/50 chance of the annual average global temperature temporarily reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels during at least one of the next five years.