This year is on track to be the hottest year ever recorded, according to European scientists. They say the Earth has already warmed more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. This is a big problem because it can lead to more extreme weather like heatwaves, floods, and droughts.
Europe’s climate monitor has declared that 2024 is “effectively certain” to be the hottest year in history. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, this year will also mark the first time global average temperatures have surpassed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels. It is a critical threshold linked to protecting the planet from dangerous overheating.
Data from January through November shows that the average global temperatures have reached unprecedented highs. These stats pushed 2024 past 2023, which previously held the record for the warmest year. Copernicus researchers predict that these high temperatures will likely persist into the early months of 2025.
Julien Nicolas, a climate scientist with Copernicus, explained that the world is now at “near-record-level” global temperatures, with no signs of relief in sight. Despite efforts by governments to reduce emissions, carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels continue to rise, worsening the global warming trend.
Not A Good Year For The Earth
The effects of this warming have already been devastating in 2024. Disasters like deadly floods in Spain and Kenya, heatwaves in Mexico, droughts in South America, and violent tropical storms devastating regions like the Philippines and the United States. These climate-induced events have caused $310 billion in economic losses this year alone.
The $300 billion pledged by wealthy nations at recent climate talks will provide some financial aid for poorer nations struggling to combat these disasters. However, many consider this amount insufficient given the scale of the crisis.
Scientists stress that even a brief period above the 1.5C threshold puts ecosystems and societies at significant risk. While global warming has been linked to human activity—particularly the burning of fossil fuels. The steps toward climate action remain too slow to reverse these trends.
Efforts to achieve carbon-neutral goals will be critical in addressing the climate crisis. Global CO2 emissions are expected to reach record highs this year. With the warming effects likely to persist, the climate crisis remains a major global concern.
