For the first time in recorded history, global temperatures exceeded the critical 1.5°C limit above pre-industrial levels, a milestone that has highli
For the first time in recorded history, global temperatures exceeded the critical 1.5°C limit above pre-industrial levels, a milestone that has highlighted the accelerating pace of climate change. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year ever documented, with every month either being the warmest or second warmest on record.
The global average temperature in 2024 was 1.6°C higher than during the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), a stark indication that the planet is on a dangerous trajectory. The Met Office in the UK estimated the average increase at 1.53°C, confirming the breach of the 1.5°C threshold for the year.
The 1.5°C target, agreed upon under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, was intended to prevent the most severe consequences of climate change. While the breach does not necessarily invalidate the long-term goal, it underscores the urgency for rapid emissions reductions. According to C3S Director Carlo Buontempo, the rising concentration of greenhouse gases puts the world on course to exceed the Paris targets entirely unless swift and decisive action is taken. “It’s not a done deal. We still have the power to change the trajectory,” Buontempo emphasised.
2024’s extreme temperatures have had far-reaching effects across the globe. Catastrophic wildfires in California have claimed lives and destroyed homes, while countries like Bolivia and Venezuela have battled similar blazes. Torrential floods devastated regions in Nepal, Sudan, and Spain, and severe heatwaves in Mexico and Saudi Arabia led to significant loss of life. The global climate crisis has resulted in record high levels of water vapour in the atmosphere, further exacerbating the intensity of storms and rainfall.
Despite the escalating damage caused by climate change, political action in some parts of the world has not matched the severity of the crisis. The United States, for example, faced 24 climate and weather-related disasters in 2024, with damage costs exceeding $1 billion in each case, including hurricanes Milton and Helene. The incoming US president, Donald Trump, has previously dismissed climate change as a hoax, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus on its human-driven nature and catastrophic potential.
Chukwumerije Okereke, a climate governance professor at the University of Bristol, warned that the 1.5°C milestone should be a “rude awakening” for global leaders, as many nations continue to fail in meeting their climate obligations. In 2024, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached a record high of 422 parts per million, according to C3S data, further compounding the climate challenge.
Looking ahead, scientists expect 2025 to be one of the warmest years on record, although it may not surpass 2024. Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, explained that while human-caused emissions remain the primary driver of global warming, the recent El Niño phenomenon added extra warmth to the year, though it is expected to transition into the cooler La Niña phase in the coming months.
COMMENTS