Climate Change: Brussels The European Union-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Friday that the year 2024 could be the hottest year globally since 1850. Measurement of global temperature began in 1850. Xinhua news agency quoted the press release of the European climate body as saying that 2024 is the first calendar year in which the average global temperature will be 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, which is a key limit set by the Paris Agreement.
The global average temperature in 2024 was 15.1 degrees Celsius. This was 0.12 degrees Celsius more than 2023, which was the hottest year so far. Copernicus said this is 1.6 degrees Celsius more than the pre-industrial level estimate. The two-year average for 2023 and 2024 is also 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the statement said.
temperatures are rising even higher
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to less than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The target is to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. The statement said, “While this does not mean we have breached the limits set by the Paris Agreement – it refers to average temperature anomalies of at least 20 years, but it does underline that global temperatures are at a higher level than modern humans.” “The temperatures are rising far beyond those experienced by the United States.”
Scientists found that the average temperature in 2024 will be 1.60 degrees Celsius higher than the baseline of 1850-1900. This was a time when human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels had not begun to have a significant impact on the climate. This is the first time that the average global temperature has been 1.5 degrees Celsius above the 1850–1900 average for an entire calendar year.
increasing threat of destruction
Experts believe that the world is now entering a phase where temperatures will continuously remain above this limit. Harjeet Singh, climate activist and founding director of the ‘Satat Sampada Climate Foundation’, said the world is entering a new climate reality where extreme heat, devastating floods and extreme storms will become more frequent and severe. He said, “To prepare for such a future, we need to urgently increase environmental adaptation efforts at every level of society.” We will have to redesign our homes, cities and infrastructure and change the way we manage water, food and energy systems.” Singh said the world needs to move quickly and fairly from fossil fuels to clean energy. And we have to ensure that no one is left behind, and rich countries have a big responsibility to take bold steps.
C3S scientists said that in 2024, the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will reach the highest annual level ever. Carbon dioxide levels were ‘2.9 parts per million’ (ppm) higher than in 2023, reaching 422 ppm, while methane levels increased ‘three parts per billion’ (ppb) to 1897 ppb.Earth’s Climate Sea ice extent around the Arctic and Antarctica, considered an essential indicator of global stability, reached “record or near-record lows” for the second year in a row.
situation is bad
The UN climate science agency IPCC says that to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, emissions will have to be reduced drastically by 2025, by 43 percent by 2030 and by 57 percent by 2035. Current policies point to a much warmer future, with temperatures rising by about three degrees Celsius by 2100. Even if every country meets its climate pledges or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), emissions will reduce by only 5.9 percent by 2030, which is far less than required.
