2024 becomes first year to exceed 1.5°C global warming limit
What's the story
The year 2024 has broken a new record in the history of climate change, becoming the first year to cross the threshold of 1.5°C global warming.
According to two independent data sets, average global temperatures last year were more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels (roughly the average temperatures between 1850 and 1900).
The temperature rise was mainly driven by human-induced climate change and further exacerbated by the temporary El Nino weather phenomenon.
Climate consequences
Record heat triggers deadly global impacts
The record-breaking heat of 2024 had dire real-world consequences, contributing to deadly flooding in Spain and extreme drought in Zambia.
India also bore the brunt of this climate crisis with extreme heatwaves killing hundreds in the northwest and east.
Monsoon floods, landslides, and unprecedented bleaching of corals in Lakshadweep's reefs were also reported.
Climate commitment
Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target: A symbolic threshold
The 1.5°C mark is critical as it is the warming limit set by countries in the landmark Paris Agreement.
Crossing the threshold is believed to lead to more severe climate impacts.
However, despite last year's breach of the limit, experts stress that it doesn't mean a permanent shift above 1.5°C of warming.
Such a declaration would only come after several consecutive years of crossing the level.
Economic impact
Zambia's economy crippled by worst drought in a century
Zambia's national coordinator for disasters, Dr. Gabriel Pollen, emphasized the devastating impact of the country's worst drought in over 100 years.
"No area of life and the economy is untouched," he said.
The drought has left six million people staring at starvation, caused a major drop in critical hydropower, resulted in frequent blackouts, and halved economic growth.
Call to action
Scientists urge leaders to intensify climate action
Despite the grim climate scenario, scientists stress that it's not too late to prevent further climate change.
They are urging world leaders to not only maintain but also intensify their climate action.
Professor Piers Forster from the UK's Climate Change Committee emphasized that "every fraction of a degree" still makes a difference in the severity of extreme weather events.
Climate data
Global temperatures in 2024 averaged 15.10°C
According to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change service, global temperatures in 2024 averaged 15.10°C, making it the hottest year since records began in 1850.
The figure is 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels in the 1850-1900 period.
The UK Met Office's data corroborates these findings, confirming that last year was indeed a record-breaking year for global warming.