Recent reports confirm that 2024 secured its place as the warmest year ever recorded since tracking temperatures began in 1850. This alarming trend accentuates the mounting impacts of climate change and underscores the critical need for immediate global action.

The year 2024 witnessed the obliteration of several climate records, primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities and intensified by a potent El Niño phenomenon. Data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) highlighted that the global average temperature soared to 15.1 degrees Celsius. This figure not only surpassed the previous high set in 2023 by 0.12 degrees Celsius but also represents a staggering 1.6 degrees Celsius increase over pre-industrial levels.

For the first time, global temperatures exceeded the 1.5-degree Celsius mark—a critical threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement to curb global warming. Throughout 2024, the temperatures in 11 out of 12 months remained above this pivotal level. Notably, on July 22, the global average peaked at an unprecedented 17.16 degrees Celsius.

Moreover, the oceans also recorded unusually high temperatures. With extra-polar ocean temperatures averaging 20.87 degrees Celsius, a significant rise in atmospheric water vapor—5% above the 1991-2020 average—was observed. The polar regions weren’t spared either; both Arctic and Antarctic sea ice levels plummeted to near-record lows, especially noticeable after July.

Amidst these trends, Friederike Otto from the Centre for Environmental Policy indicated that persistent reliance on fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal counties to drive the global temperature upward. This sentiment was echoed by the UN Secretary-General, who described 2024 as a year defined by “deadly heat,” advocating for an urgent pivot to renewable energy resources and substantial emission reductions.

The tangible effects of these extreme temperatures were widespread, triggering devastating heatwaves, wildfires, and floods, especially across Southern Europe. Countries such as Italy, France, and Spain encountered intense heatwaves, while Greece faced almost 9,500 wildfires, exerting unmanageable pressure on public health resources and resulting in mass evacuations.

Simultaneously, nations like Spain and Germany battled severe flooding, incurring significant economic damage and displacing thousands. Bosnia’s Lake Jablanicko dramatically altered, emptied due to a severe drought by December 2024. According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA), the climate change-induced record temperatures enhanced rainfall events, as seen in 15 out of 16 studied floods.

Consequently, climate-related calamities claimed upwards of 3,700 lives in 2024. These disasters displaced millions and inflicted severe harm to ecosystems, with coral reefs facing severe bleaching, jeopardizing both marine life and industries dependent on these ecosystems.

Instances such as the floods in Valencia, hurricanes in the U.S., typhoons in the Philippines, and Amazon drought have been exacerbated by climate alterations, with multiple similar catastrophes noted across the globe.

Looking ahead, experts caution that the extreme weather phenomena seen in 2024 are likely to persist as we move forward. Although a shift from El Niño to La Niña conditions might cause a slight dip in temperatures in 2025, the long-term warming trajectory continues unabated. This fluctuating climate pattern, attributed to natural processes, does not alter the overall upward temperature trend observed globally.

With urgency, Carlo Buontempo of C3S emphasized the need for prompt, decisive measures. “The future is in our hands,” he stated, highlighting that immediate actions still have the power to impact the future climate’s trajectory.

In December 2024, the World Meteorological Organization predicted a greater than 50% probability of La Niña conditions emerging in the upcoming months. Experts caution that this sets the stage for intensified heatwaves and extreme rainfall events across nearly all continental regions, underscoring the imperative of comprehensive climate strategies to mitigate these impending crises.