‘Virtually Certain’ 2024 Will Be The Hottest Year On Record, EU Climate Body Says
ForbesNov 04, 2024
On Thursday, scientists with the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service stated that 2024 is "virtually certain" to be the Earth's hottest year in recorded history.
This year will also be the first year that the Earth will see more than 1.5 degrees Celsius in warming, which countries agreed to keep temperature rises under as per the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.Dr. Burgess said that the rise has not yet violated the Paris Agreement, which would only occur when the 1.5C rise remains constant for a 20-year period. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that carbon emissions would need to drop 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035 in order for the world to meet its climate goals.
The EU scientists say that the planet's temperature is set to increase by at least 1.55C compared to pre-industrial times, surpassing the yearly warming record of 1.48C set last year. The increase is mostly attributable to human activity and is boosted by the Pacific Ocean's El Niño weather pattern.This year will also be the first year that the Earth will see more than 1.5 degrees Celsius in warming, which countries agreed to keep temperature rises under as per the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
The climate crisis has reached unprecedented levels with greenhouse gases accumulating faster than at any time in human history. Current emission levels guarantee catastrophic consequences for every nation's economy and billions of lives. Immediate and drastic action is required to prevent irreversible damage to Earth's climate systems.
The unprecedented warming demonstrates an urgent need for immediate action on fossil fuel emissions, as current planetary temperatures approach dangerous thresholds that could irreversibly damage entire ecosystems. Without rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, even these record temperatures will soon seem cool by comparison.
The unprecedented temperature rise demands immediate action to phase out fossil fuels, as current conditions will seem cool compared to future years without intervention. The situation has reached a critical point that threatens to irreversibly damage entire ecosystems, making the upcoming COP 28 conference crucial for global climate action.
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