The year 2024 is poised to become the hottest ever recorded, surpassing the previous high set in 2023, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). For the first time in human history, the average global temperature has exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels from 1850-1900. While this does not signal a breach of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, it underscores the urgency for ambitious climate action, as noted by Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S.
The record-breaking temperatures of 2024 have driven a cascade of extreme weather events worldwide. Nigeria and Europe were devastated by catastrophic floods, South America suffered from large-scale wildfires, and the United States faced both early heatwaves and hurricanes of unprecedented intensity. These events highlight the tangible impacts of a warming planet.
The year began with January 2024 recording the warmest global surface air temperature for the month at 13.14°C, exceeding the previous record set in 2020 by 0.12°C. This milestone continued an eight-month streak of record-breaking temperatures that started in June 2023 and persisted until June 2024. February saw the Northern Hemisphere experience its warmest winter, with ocean temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels. The global average sea surface temperature reached 21.09°C, surpassing the 2023 peak of 20.98°C. While the El Niño climate pattern partly contributed to this increase, regions far from its center, such as the tropical Atlantic and Indian Ocean, also experienced record-breaking temperatures. Climate scientist Richard Allan from the University of Reading emphasized that these anomalies are profoundly influenced by rising greenhouse gas emissions.
By June, the Atlantic hurricane season illustrated the devastating consequences of warming oceans. Higher sea surface temperatures accelerated evaporation, transferring more heat and moisture to the atmosphere. This dynamic intensified storms, leading to stronger winds, heavier rainfall, and severe flooding upon landfall. Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane of the season, made history as the earliest Category 5 storm ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds exceeding 157 mph. The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization classified it as a catastrophic event, further cementing 2024 as a year marked by climate extremes.
The unprecedented records of 2024 serve as a stark reminder of the escalating impacts of climate change, calling for urgent global cooperation to mitigate its effects and prevent further disasters.
