In brief
The projections by European climate service suggest 2024 is on track to be the warmest year ever recorded, with global average temperatures expected to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a significant threshold. This marks a concerning milestone in climate change impacts, especially as the world gears up for the UN climate conference COP29 in Azerbaijan.
Global temperatures have been elevated throughout 2024, driven chiefly by human-induced climate change and the El Niño weather pattern, which has brought additional warmth. Only an unprecedented drop in temperatures during the last two months of the year could avert this alarming record. Specifically, scientists have indicated that the year's average is likely to be at least 1.55°C hotter than pre-industrial levels, surpassing the previous record of 1.48°C set in 2023.This notable rise poses severe implications, as close to 200 nations committed to curbing temperature increases to mitigate the more severe impacts of climate change during the Paris Agreement of 2015. The breached 1.5°C mark for a single year, though not indicative of the overall goal, highlights a worrying trend towards further climate instability. The worsening climate scenario has various consequences; an increase in intense storms and extreme weather events is already being felt worldwide. Additionally, cooler conditions expected from the potential onset of La Niña could provide temporary relief but are unlikely to halt the overall trend given the rising levels of greenhouse gases. Experts emphasize that achieving net-zero emissions is essential to stabilize the climate and mitigate the impacts of such disasters in the future.
