Earth has reached an unprecedented milestone, marking 2024 as its hottest year on record. Recent announcements from various weather monitoring organizations highlighted that the global average temperature saw a significant surge, briefly exceeding a critical climate threshold. This information comes from several authoritative entities, including the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Service, the UK’s Meteorology Office, and Japan’s weather agency.
In comparing global temperatures, last year’s average was notably higher than the previous record set in 2023, going beyond the long-acknowledged warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) established by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The European monitoring group reported a rise of 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.89 degrees Fahrenheit), while Japan recorded 1.57 degrees Celsius (2.83 degrees Fahrenheit), and the UK reported an increase of 1.53 degrees Celsius (2.75 degrees Fahrenheit). American agencies like NASA and NOAA were expected to release their findings shortly after this announcement, with anticipations that they, too, would indicate record heat for 2024.
Experts assert that the primary driver behind these soaring temperatures is the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from fossil fuel consumption, including coal, oil, and gas. Samantha Burgess from Copernicus remarked that as greenhouse gas levels increase, there’s a direct correlation with rising temperatures, leading to consequences such as rising sea levels and melting ice sheets. The data showcased that last year’s temperature surpassed 2023’s record by a remarkable eighth of a degree Celsius—a significant leap compared to past records, where temperature increases were typically measured in hundredths of a degree.
The last decade has consistently been recorded as the hottest in history, possibly spanning a 125,000-year timeframe. One of the hottest days ever recorded occurred on July 10, when global average temperatures reached 17.16 degrees Celsius (62.89 degrees Fahrenheit). Observations attributed the record-high temperatures chiefly to the burning of fossil fuels, with a brief natural El Niño event contributing slightly. Interestingly, a volcanic eruption in 2022 introduced particles into the atmosphere, which had a cooling effect by reflecting sunlight and adding water vapor.
Prominent scientists are sounding alarms about the urgency of addressing these climate changes. Professor Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia likened the current situation to a critical warning signal on Earth’s dashboard, urging immediate intervention. Meanwhile, Jennifer Francis from the Woodwell Climate Research Center noted that the frequency of climate-related alarms may be desensitizing the public, despite their increasing severity.
Last year, the world faced climate-related disaster losses amounting to approximately $140 billion, which ranked as the third highest recorded. North America was particularly vulnerable to these impacts. Experts, including Kathy Jacobs from the University of Arizona, highlighted that escalating temperatures would result in more property damage and adverse effects on human health and essential ecosystems.
For the first time, a year surpassed the 1.5-degree threshold, aside from 2023 records from Berkeley Earth—a group previously supported by philanthropic skepticism towards climate change. Experts clarified that the 1.5-degree mark is a long-term target, currently recorded at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) over the long term. Northern Illinois University climate scientist Victor Gensini emphasized that breaching this threshold, even momentarily, underscores the precariousness of our climate goals set by the Paris Agreement.
Looking ahead, projections suggest that while 2025 may not reach the extremes of 2024, it is still expected to be among the warmest years recorded. The first few days of January set a record for the highest temperatures at the start of the year. Scientists remain divided on whether global warming is accelerating overall. Although there is insufficient data to confirm a rapid increase in atmospheric temperatures directly, ocean heat content seems to be rising faster, according to Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus.
As climate challenges mount, experts like Michael Mann from the University of Pennsylvania describe the situation as reminiscent of a dystopian narrative, indicating that the consequences of our past actions are becoming increasingly evident.
