The year 2024 has become a grim milestone in the history of global warming, marking the first full year where average global temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This was confirmed by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), signaling a warning about the escalating impacts of climate change.
C3S reported that the planet’s average temperature in 2024 was 1.6°C higher than during the 1850-1900 pre-industrial era, a period before large-scale fossil fuel combustion began. C3S director Carlo Buontempo described the unprecedented trend: “The trajectory is just incredible,” noting that every month of 2024 was either the warmest or second-warmest in recorded history.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nations committed to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C to avoid catastrophic climate impacts. However, scientists clarified that the breach of this threshold in 2024 reflects a short-term average, not the long-term target. Despite this, experts like Buontempo warn that without immediate and significant emission reductions, the world is on track to surpass the Paris goal permanently.
“We have the power to change the trajectory from now on,” Buontempo emphasized, urging nations to act decisively to avoid further warming.
The effects of climate change were starkly evident in 2024. Catastrophic wildfires ravaged California, Bolivia, and Venezuela, while severe floods inundated Nepal, Sudan, and Spain. Deadly heatwaves struck Mexico and Saudi Arabia, collectively claiming thousands of lives.
Scientists attributed worsening storms and intense rainfall to a hotter atmosphere, which can retain more water vapor. In 2024, atmospheric water vapor levels reached record highs, further exacerbating extreme weather events.
Despite the mounting costs of climate disasters, political will to tackle emissions has weakened in some nations. The United States, which faced 24 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2024, is set to see the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has dismissed climate change as a hoax.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations also hit a new high of 422 parts per million, highlighting the urgent need for global action.
Experts like Chukwumerije Okereke of the University of Bristol are calling the 1.5°C milestone a “rude awakening” for political leaders. "Despite all the warnings that scientists have given, nations... are continuing to fail to live up to their responsibilities," Okereke said.
Looking ahead, 2025 is expected to remain among the top three hottest years on record, according to Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth. While El Niño contributed to 2024's temperature spike, its transition to La Niña in 2025 may provide only a slight reprieve.
The message from scientists is clear: the window to prevent further devastation is narrowing, but meaningful action can still alter the planet’s course.