‘Dangerous’ global warming threshold broken as 2024 named hottest-ever year

Not only is this crucial for our planet, it is the economic opportunity of the 21st century. Through our clean energy superpower mission this government is showing what can be done - tackling the climate crisis while creating new jobs, delivering energy security and attracting new investment into the UK."

She added

The future is in our hands - swift and decisive action can still alter the trajectory of our future climate,

said Copernicus climate director Carlo Buontempo

We have now experienced the first taste of a 1.5C world, which has cost people and the global economy unprecedented suffering and economic costs,

he told AFP

Each year in the last decade is one of the 10 warmest on record. We are now teetering on the edge of passing the 1.5C level defined in the Paris Agreement, and the average of the last two years is already above this level,

said Samantha Burgess, climate lead at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which manages Copernicus

A single year with temperatures 1.5C above pre-industrial levels does not mean we’ve reached 1.5C of global warming. However, it does mean we’re getting dangerously close,

said Joeri Rogelj, research director at Imperial College London’s climate-focused Grantham Institute

Every fraction of a degree – whether 1.4C, 1.5C, or 1.6C – brings more harm to people and ecosystems, underscoring the continued need for ambitious emissions cuts. The cost of solar and wind energy is falling rapidly and is now cheaper than fossil fuels in many countries.”

Prof Joeri Rogelj, at Imperial College London, said

Friederike Ottoclimate scientist

The world doesn’t need to come up with a magical solution to stop things from getting worse in 2025,

Otto said

There’s now an extremely high likelihood that we will overshoot the long-term average of 1.5C in the Paris agreement limit,

Dr Samantha Burgess, deputy director at C3S, said

Every year for the rest of your life will be one of the hottest [on] record. This, in turn, means that 2024 will end up being among the coldest years of this century. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Prof Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist at Texas A&M University in the US, has responded to new temperature records being set year after year by providing the same statement to the media

Human-induced climate change remains the primary driver of extreme air and sea surface temperatures; while other factors, such as the warming El Niño Southern Oscillation, also contributed to the unusual temperatures,

Copernicus said

Countries have the power to bring global warming to a halt by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. This must happen as quickly as possible to give us some hope of preventing further global climate change catastrophes.”

Dr Ceppi added

A year of extreme weather showed just how dangerous life is at 1.5 degrees. The Valencia floods, US hurricanes, Philippines typhoons and Amazon drought are just four disasters last year that were worsened by climate change. There are many, many more,

she added