November 7, 2024 — 2024 is projected to become the first year in recorded history to surpass a critical global warming threshold, according to leading climate scientists. The year’s temperatures are expected to breach the 1.5°C increase above pre-industrial levels, a key marker set by the Paris Agreement aimed at limiting the effects of climate change.
In a report released this week, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations (UN) warned that the Earth’s average temperature for 2024 will likely hit this alarming milestone, triggered by a combination of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and the strengthening of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of climate change,” said Dr. Emma Patterson, a senior climatologist at the WMO. “We are now on the verge of experiencing irreversible environmental shifts that will affect ecosystems, food security, and extreme weather patterns worldwide.”
The 1.5°C threshold is a target the international community set in 2015 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, devastating wildfires, and stronger storms. Scientists have long warned that exceeding this temperature increase could lead to catastrophic consequences for both human and ecological systems.
While there are still efforts underway to mitigate emissions, global temperature records have been climbing steadily due to factors like fossil fuel consumption, deforestation, and industrial activity. In recent months, extreme heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires have been reported in multiple regions across the globe, with many scientists attributing these to the ongoing acceleration of climate change.
This record-breaking year follows a decade of alarming heat, with 2024’s projected average temperatures expected to eclipse previous years, which have seen near-record warming patterns. Governments, climate experts, and advocacy groups have called for renewed action at the upcoming COP29 summit, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger emissions cuts and investment in sustainable technologies to avert even more dangerous levels of warming.
In the face of these grim predictions, environmental groups are pushing for a global reset, calling for rapid implementation of renewable energy, drastic reductions in carbon emissions, and a commitment to reforest the planet. The urgency of this moment is underscored by the fact that humanity’s window of opportunity to avert the worst climate impacts is rapidly closing.
“We’re no longer talking about preventing a future crisis,” said Maria Lopez, an environmental activist. “This is happening right now, and we must act fast to protect the planet for future generations.”
BBC News, CNN, The Guardian, Reuters, Al Jazeera, UN News, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), National Geographic
