2024 Set to Break Records as Hottest Year
The 2024 State of the Climate report notes that while temperatures temporarily exceeded the 1.5°C threshold, the rapid warming trend raises growing concerns about the planet's future.
The world is on track to experience its hottest year on record, with global temperatures briefly reaching 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, according to the latest climate update from the United Nations (UN) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
This alarming milestone, announced via a post on the UN’s X account, highlights the unprecedented pace at which climate change is accelerating within just one generation.
The 2024 State of the Climate report notes that while temperatures temporarily exceeded the 1.5°C threshold, the rapid warming trend raises growing concerns about the planet's future.
Exceeding this temperature is often considered a critical tipping point beyond which the effects of climate change could become more dangerous and harder to reverse.
Scientists stress that breaching this limit, even temporarily, underscores the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adopt sustainable practices globally.
"Record-breaking heat, extreme weather events, and environmental shifts we are witnessing worldwide are clear indications of the escalating climate crisis," the WMO stated.
The report highlights shattered temperature records across continents, leading to increased incidents of wildfires, droughts, severe flooding, and cyclones.
The UN has warned that without intensified efforts from countries and industries to limit emissions, the 1.5°C threshold could soon be permanently surpassed
. This warming trend has already impacted ecosystems, agriculture, and vulnerable communities, with economic consequences described by the UN as "severe and far-reaching."
"Climate action must remain a top priority for every nation, not just in policy, but in measurable action," UN climate leaders urged. "Our window to stabilize the climate is rapidly closing."
The UN’s warning calls on governments, industries, and communities to intensify climate mitigation strategies and collaborate on international climate agreements to limit future warming.
Special emphasis is placed on adopting renewable energy, protecting natural habitats, and enhancing climate resilience for the world’s most vulnerable populations.
