SINGAPORE/GENEVA, 7 July 2026 (WMO) - The vast ocean expanse in the South-West Pacific is becoming hotter and more acidic, harming local economies and marine ecosystems, whilst rising sea levels threaten vulnerable coastal communities and low-lying island nations, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2025 report documents how the region had its second warmest year on record (behind 2024), with extreme weather causing widespread disruption, economic damage, and loss of life. The deadliest single event was Cyclone Senyar, the first known system to reach tropical cyclone intensity in the Strait of Malacca, which impacted more than 10 million people in Indonesia and Malaysia and killed more than 1 200.
In 2025, the remaining tropical ice cover in Papua, Indonesia, was estimated to be only about 2% of the ice area observed in 1988. The last remaining tropical glacier of the region is expected to disappear by the end of 2026 or early 2027, according to the report.
"For many countries and territories in the South-West Pacific, the ocean is central to livelihoods, economies and resilience. In 2025, the region experienced warming oceans, rising sea levels, marine heatwaves and ocean acidification, alongside tropical cyclones and the continued loss of tropical glacier ice," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
The State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific 2025 report includes contributions from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, climate and ocean experts and United Nations and other international partners. It is one of a series of regional reports by WMO to provide scientific support for climate-smart decision-making and disaster risk reduction.
"Across Asia and the Pacific, heat is intensifying multi-hazard risks, intersecting with food systems, public health, infrastructure and oceans, and placing new pressures on health and livelihoods. Early warning and early action save lives when alerts are timely, messages are trusted and last-mile delivery reaches the vulnerable," said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The report was released during the Southeast Asia Marine Heatwaves Services Workshop in Singapore, 7-10 July 2026, organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC). Marine heatwave forecast products help provide critical early warning and give users weeks to months to prepare for potential impacts.
