2024 has officially been declared the warmest year on record since global temperature measurements began in 1850, according to the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This alarming milestone underscores the urgent need for decisive global action against climate change.
Notably, 2024 marks the first calendar year in which the average global temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels—a critical threshold set by the Paris Agreement. The global average temperature was 15.1 degrees Celsius, 0.12 degrees Celsius higher than in 2023, the previous warmest year on record. This represents an increase of 1.6 degrees Celsius above estimated pre-industrial levels, as reported by C3S.
Furthermore, the two-year average for 2023 and 2024 also surpassed the 1.5 degrees Celsius mark above pre-industrial levels. While this does not indicate that the limit set by the Paris Agreement—which considers temperature anomalies averaged over at least 20 years—has been breached, it highlights a concerning trend of rising global temperatures beyond what modern humans have ever experienced.
Data from the climate change service reveals that the total amount of water vapor in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2024, approximately 5 percent above the 1991-2020 average and significantly higher than in 2023. These elevated global temperatures, combined with unprecedented levels of atmospheric water vapor, led to severe heatwaves and heavy rainfall events, impacting millions of people worldwide.
“These high global temperatures, coupled with record global atmospheric water vapor levels in 2024, led to unprecedented heatwaves and heavy rainfall events, causing misery for millions of people,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, C3S Director Carlo Buontempo emphasized, “The future is in our hands—swift and decisive action can still alter the trajectory of our future climate.”
The record-breaking heat of 2024 serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for global cooperation to combat climate change. For the younger generation, especially those in the Global South who are often on the frontlines of climate impacts, this is a call to action to advocate for sustainable practices and policies that safeguard our planet’s future.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
