In 2024, global temperatures are predicted to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, making it the hottest year in recorded history. The upcoming UN climate conference in Azerbaijan will focus on urgent actions needed to curtail carbon emissions, as recent weather extremes signify the escalating impacts of climate change.
The year 2024 is projected to become the hottest year on record, surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. This trend follows a series of alarming weather events, including devastating flooding in Spain and Hurricane Milton in the United States during October, which was the second hottest recorded month globally. The period from 1850 to 1900, before the widespread use of fossil fuels, is being used as a baseline for these measurements. The upcoming UN climate negotiations in Azerbaijan are poised to take on heightened significance amid these alarming statistics. As global temperatures continue to rise, with projections suggesting a potential increase of 3.1 degrees Celsius this century, the vital imperative to cut carbon emissions becomes even more pressing. Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S, stated, “It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record and the first year of more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.” In the wake of actions taken by various nations and fluctuating political environments, the responsibility to address climate change appears more critical than ever. The UN report highlights that even if all current climate commitments are followed through, a significant rise of 2.6 degrees Celsius is anticipated. Furthermore, the increasing heat not only raises temperatures but exacerbates weather extremes, contributing to severe droughts and downpours across several continents. As Copernicus continues to gather and analyze climate data from multiple sources, it has underscored the urgency of taking global action to prevent irreversible damage, stressing that the current trajectory of climate inaction is moving society towards unprecedented conditions in Earth’s climatic history.
The article discusses the alarming projections for global temperatures in 2024, indicating that it will be the hottest year recorded, surpassing a crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This situation intensifies the urgency of the upcoming UN climate negotiations, where global leaders will convene to set new carbon reduction targets amid the backdrop of extreme weather events occurring worldwide. Thresholds set by the Paris Agreement and ongoing climate science indicate that if current trends continue, the world faces dire consequences from significantly higher temperature increases, warranting immediate action to curb emissions.
In summary, 2024 is expected to set a new record as the warmest year, marking a significant deviation from pre-industrial temperatures. This projection, coupled with a spate of extreme weather events and rising greenhouse gas concentrations, highlights the critical need for global leaders to intensify efforts at the upcoming UN climate talks in Azerbaijan. The resulting impacts from climate change could be devastating, underscoring the urgency for concerted action to limit warming and reduce carbon emissions systematically.
Original Source: www.rfi.fr
