The year 2024 has officially become Earth’s hottest on record, with global temperatures soaring past the critical 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement for the first time, international climate monitoring agencies announced Friday.
The European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Service calculated a staggering 1.6°C (2.89°F) rise above pre-industrial levels, while Japan and the UK reported similar increases, underscoring the unprecedented leap in global warming. The record-breaking heat exceeded 2023’s previous high by an eighth of a degree Celsius—a jump scientists described as alarming.
The 1.5°C target, enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, represents a critical benchmark to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. While scientists clarified that this breach is temporary—occurring over a single year rather than the 20-year average used to measure long-term warming—it highlights how perilously close the planet is to permanently surpassing the limit.
In addition to the influence of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, a natural El Niño warming pattern in the Pacific contributed to the 2024 temperature spike. However, experts stressed that the primary driver remains the continued burning of coal, oil, and gas.
The impacts of the record heat have been stark. July 10, 2024, marked the hottest day ever recorded, with a global average temperature of 17.16°C (62.89°F). The past decade is now confirmed as the warmest in 125,000 years, underscoring the acceleration of climate change.
Victor Gensini, a climate scientist at Northern Illinois University, called the temporary breach of 1.5°C “a red flag.” He pointed to a 2018 United Nations report that warned surpassing this limit could lead to widespread human suffering, the loss of coral reefs, and accelerated ice sheet collapse in Antarctica.
Scientists remain steadfast in their call for international cooperation to address climate change.The record heat of 2024 serves as a stark reminder of the need for urgent measures to curb emissions and mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change.