Global temperatures surpassed a crucial warming threshold in 2024, marking an unprecedented milestone in recorded climate history, European climate monitors announced Friday. The revelation prompted an urgent call from the United Nations for immediate climate action.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed through six international datasets that 2024 maintained its position as the hottest year on record, with global average surface temperatures reaching 1.55C above pre-industrial levels.
“Global heating is a cold, hard fact,” declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “Blazing temperatures in 2024 require trail-blazing climate action in 2025. There’s still time to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe. But leaders must act — now.”
While scientists emphasize this breach doesn’t indicate a permanent crossing of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C threshold, which refers to a sustained temperature rise over decades, the data presents what Johan Rockstrom of the Potsdam Institute calls a “stark warning sign.”
The United States joined the growing list of nations reporting shattered heat records in 2024, as devastating natural disasters from Spain to Kenya resulted in estimated damages exceeding $300 billion. Los Angeles continues to battle destructive wildfires that have displaced tens of thousands and destroyed thousands of structures.
Looking ahead to 2025, NASA’s chief climate scientist Gavin Schmidt projects a slight cooling effect due to La Nina conditions, potentially making it the third-warmest year on record. However, with President-elect Donald Trump’s imminent inauguration and his stated commitment to expanding fossil fuel production, climate policy faces uncertainty.
The oceans, which absorb 90 percent of excess heat from greenhouse gases, reached record-high temperatures in 2024, contributing to extreme weather events worldwide. Increased atmospheric water vapor led to catastrophic flooding and heatwaves, affecting millions globally.
“The future is in our hands,” said Copernicus climate director Carlo Buontempo, emphasizing that rapid action could still alter the trajectory of global climate patterns.
While the 1.5C threshold’s temporary breach doesn’t signal an immediate climate catastrophe, scientists warn that every fraction of a degree matters. Current climate data suggests Earth may be experiencing its warmest temperatures in tens of thousands of years, with profound implications for global weather patterns and ecosystems.
The year 2024 saw numerous climate-related disasters, including the deaths of 1,300 pilgrims during extreme heat in Saudi Arabia, devastating tropical storms across Asia and North America, and historic flooding in Europe and Africa.
Scientists note that while the El Niño weather pattern contributed to record temperatures in early 2024, its conclusion has left researchers puzzled by persistently high global temperatures, suggesting deeper systemic changes in Earth’s climate system.
