2024 Expected to Be Hottest Year on Record, Warn EU Scientists
EU scientists predict that 2024 will be the hottest year recorded, surpassing previous temperatures with global averages projected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The announcement follows the UN climate talks, which concluded with a deal many deemed insufficient. Extreme weather conditions have impactfully spread across several nations, showcasing the severe consequences of climate change.
European Union scientists have announced that 2024 is projected to be the hottest year on record, with unprecedented high temperatures expected to continue into early 2025. This assertion follows recent data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which indicates that the year will be the first to register an average global temperature exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above the levels recorded between 1850 and 1900. The report comes on the heels of a $300 billion agreement from UN climate talks aimed at combating climate change, though it has faced criticism for being inadequate, particularly in relation to the increasing costs associated with climate-related disasters.
Severe weather events have been documented globally in 2024, characterized by significant droughts in regions such as Italy and South America, devastating floods in Nepal, Sudan, and parts of Europe, and extreme heatwaves affecting countries including Mexico, Mali, and Saudi Arabia. Such catastrophic events have been linked to human-induced climate change, as confirmed by scientific studies. Moreover, November 2024 recorded the second-highest temperatures for that month on record.
Copernicus climate researcher Julien Nicolas stated that “we’re still in near-record-high territory for global temperatures, and that’s likely to stay at least for the next few months.” He emphasized that the primary driver of climate change remains carbon dioxide emissions stemming from fossil fuel consumption. While there are global commitments to reach net-zero emissions, the current trajectory indicates that carbon emissions are set to reach an all-time high this year.
Scientists are closely monitoring the potential return of the La Niña climate phenomenon, which could temporarily lower global temperatures if it emerges in 2025. However, such a development would not negate the long-term warming trend attributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Friederike Otto, a senior lecturer at Imperial College London, emphasized, “while 2025 might be slightly cooler than 2024, if a La Niña event develops, this does not mean temperatures will be ‘safe’ or ‘normal.’ We will still experience high temperatures, resulting in dangerous heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and tropical cyclones.”
The rising global temperatures and the associated extreme weather events have heightened concerns about climate change and its far-reaching effects. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which monitors climate trends, projects that 2024 will set records for warmth, indicating a worsening trend linked with human activity and fossil fuel emissions. These findings are significant as they highlight the urgent need for action to mitigate climate change in light of international agreements that have been deemed insufficient by various stakeholders.
In summary, 2024 is projected to be the warmest year on record, driven by human-induced climate change and carbon emissions. Despite international efforts to curb such emissions, the current trajectory suggests an exacerbation of climate-related disasters around the globe. The possible emergence of La Niña may provide temporary relief but will not alter the overall trend of rising temperatures. Urgent action is critical to address these environmental challenges and to realize the commitments made at recent climate summits.
Original Source: sightmagazine.com.au
