The year 2024 is now “effectively certain” to be the hottest on record, surpassing a critical temperature threshold that is key to preventing dangerous global warming, according to Europe’s climate monitor, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
In a statement released on Monday, C3S confirmed that global temperatures for 2024 are on track to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, marking the first time this threshold has been breached. This follows a year of extreme weather events worldwide, including severe droughts, deadly floods, heatwaves, and destructive storms, all of which have been linked to human-driven climate change.
The C3S data, which includes records from January to November, shows that 2024 is set to outpace 2023 as the hottest year on record. The EU scientists also predict that elevated temperatures will likely continue into early 2025.
This news comes just weeks after the UN climate talks resulted in a $300 billion deal to address climate change, which was criticized by poorer nations for not providing enough financial support to cope with the escalating costs of climate-related disasters.
Despite international pledges to reduce emissions, global carbon dioxide levels are expected to reach an all-time high this year. Scientists stress the urgency of cutting emissions to net zero to prevent further warming, though the current trend remains alarming. Additionally, the possibility of a La Nina event, which could temporarily cool global temperatures, is being monitored, but experts caution it will not reverse the ongoing warming trend.
C3S data, which dates back to 1940 and is verified against global records from 1850, underscores the persistent danger of high temperatures, with experts warning of continued extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, and cyclones.
