The United Nations says there is a chance that global temperatures will temporarily breach the benchmark of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in one of the next five years. 

The global organization on Tuesday warned that the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change saw countries agree to cap global warming well below levels measured between 1850 and 1900.

In an annual climate update report, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization said the chance of global near-surface temperature exceeding 1.5C above pre-industrial levels at least one year between 2022 and 2026 is about as likely as not.

The WMO put the likelihood at 48 percent and said it was increasing with time.

WMO chief Petteri Taalas further adds that there is a 93 percent chance of at least one year between 2022-2026 becoming the warmest on record and dislodging 2016 from the top ranking.

The chance of the five-year temperature average for 2022-2026 being higher than the last five years (2017-2021) was also put at 93 percent.