2024 is anticipated to be the hottest year on record, with average global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. The rise in temperature, linked to increased CO2 emissions, poses significant risks to climate agreements aimed at limiting global warming. Extreme weather events, such as devastating wildfires and catastrophic floods, have surged in frequency and intensity, leading to rising economic losses, reinforcing calls for immediate climate action.
According to data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), 2024 is almost certainly set to become the hottest year on record, surpassing previous temperature benchmarks. Notably, it will be the first year to record an average temperature more than 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. Data indicates that the global surface temperature in November reached 1.62°C above historical averages, while the average for the year is projected at 1.60°C, exceeding the previous record set in 2023.
Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of C3S, stated, “We can now confirm with virtual certainty that 2024 will be the warmest year on record and the first calendar year above 1.5°C.” This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for ambitious climate actions, despite the fact that the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming below 1.5°C is intended to be evaluated over a longer period rather than a single year.
However, the persistence of rising carbon dioxide emissions, which have been projected to continue escalating in 2024, raises concerns about meeting the climate targets set forth by international agreements. The urgency is pressed further by a recent climate summit that achieved little regarding the critical transition away from fossil fuels. The C3S analysis indicates that November 2024 was part of a significant long-term trend, wherein temperatures have exceeded the 1.5°C threshold for 16 out of the last 17 months.
Extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change are increasingly evident, with unprecedented heatwaves, storms, and floods becoming commonplace worldwide. In 2024, severe wildfires ravaged parts of North and South America, particularly impacting areas such as the Amazon rainforest and the Pantanal wetlands, attributing to catastrophic drought conditions.
Mark Parrington, Senior Scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, noted, “The scale of some of the fires in 2024 was at historic levels,” highlighting the extreme nature of these climate-induced disasters. The economic consequences of these disasters have also surged, with estimated losses rising 6% to $320 billion, a number significantly higher than the average for the past decade. These figures underscore the disproportionate impacts of climate change, as many poorer populations remain unable to afford adequate insurance for the devastation wrought by these extreme events.
Swiss Re, a leading global insurance firm, emphasized that “Losses are likely to increase as climate change intensifies extreme weather events,” reiterating the necessity for adaptive measures, which prove to be far more cost-effective in safeguarding communities against future disasters.
The climate crisis is rapidly escalating, culminating in 2024 being predicted as the hottest year on record. Significant temperature increases have marked this year, particularly with average temperatures now exceeding 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. The Paris Agreement aimed for a long-term goal to keep global warming below 1.5°C; however, achieving this target has increasingly seemed daunting in light of rising emissions and insufficient international commitments. The article highlights the severe impacts of climate change, including extreme weather patterns, and underscores the considerable economic ramifications resulting from disasters linked to global warming.
The imposition of global warming standards and the assurance of international cooperation through agreements like the Paris Agreement face significant challenges as 2024 is poised to set new temperature records. With average temperatures expected to exceed critical thresholds and the frequency of catastrophic weather events on the rise, the urgency for immediate and effective climate action remains paramount. Failure to address emissions robustly and adapt to the changing climate could result in severe economic and social repercussions worldwide.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com
