2024 Confirmed as Warmest Year on Record, Urging Global Climate Action
2024 has been confirmed as the warmest year globally since 1850, with temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This unprecedented record highlights the urgent need for global climate action as atmospheric water vapour also reached historic highs, leading to extreme weather conditions affecting millions. Copernicus Climate Change Service notes that human-induced climate change is the primary driver of this alarming trend, solidifying the need for immediate intervention.
The year 2024 has been officially documented as the warmest year on record globally since records began in 1850, as reported by the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This significant milestone emphasizes the urgent need for robust global action against climate change. For the first time, the global average temperature has surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a critical threshold established by the Paris Agreement. The average temperature reached 15.1 degrees Celsius in 2024, a rise of 0.12 degrees Celsius compared to 2023, the previous record holder.
Data indicates that the two-year average for 2023 and 2024 also exceeded the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold, underscoring the escalating temperature trends. The Paris Agreement aims to cap global warming to well below two degrees Celsius, aspiring to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the century’s end. Although exceeding this threshold does not indicate a breach of the agreement’s long-term limits, it highlights an alarming rise in temperatures that humanity has never before experienced.
Moreover, 2024 saw an unprecedented increase in atmospheric water vapour, reaching roughly 5 percent above the average recorded between 1991 and 2020. This combination of elevated temperatures and increased moisture levels contributed to extreme weather patterns, including severe heatwaves and heavy rainfall, impacting millions worldwide. C3S climate scientist Julien Nicolas attributes this extreme weather primarily to anthropogenic climate change, while natural phenomena such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation also played a role.
Emphasizing the critical nature of the situation, C3S Director Carlo Buontempo stated that coordinated and decisive actions are essential to alter future climate trajectories.
As global temperatures rise due to climate change, the implications of surpassing important thresholds are becoming increasingly apparent. The Copernicus Climate Change Service plays a pivotal role in monitoring climate trends and providing vital data that informs global action. The Paris Agreement, adopted during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, sets ambitious goals for limiting global warming, necessitating adherence to strict temperature thresholds to mitigate the worst consequences of climate change.
In conclusion, the confirmation that 2024 is the warmest year on record highlights an alarming trend in global temperatures, necessitating significant global action to combat climate change. The surpassing of the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold emphasizes the urgency for compliance with the goals set forth in the Paris Agreement. Continuous monitoring and decisive actions are imperative to avert further environmental degradation and to secure a sustainable future.
Original Source: www.socialnews.xyz
