The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service states that 2024 is set to be the hottest year on record, surpassing 2023. With global temperatures reaching unprecedented levels, experts indicate this is primarily due to climate change and human activity. The upcoming COP29 summit will address the urgent need for increased climate action as the planet risks breaching critical temperature thresholds established by international agreements.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) announced that 2024 is expected to surpass 2023 as the world’s hottest year on record. This assessment comes just before the U.N. COP29 climate summit, where countries will seek to increase funding for climate action. C3S reported extraordinarily high average global temperatures from January to October, making it nearly impossible for the remainder of the year to bring the annual average temperature down significantly. C3S Director Carlo Buontempo emphasized that climate change is the primary driver of this record-breaking temperature increase. He noted that global warming is pervasive, affecting all continents and ocean basins, thus leading to more frequent new temperature records. It is anticipated that 2024 will mark the first instance where the planet’s temperature exceeds 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a critical threshold established to mitigate the most severe impacts of climate change. Moreover, climate scientist Sonia Seneviratne from ETH Zurich expressed her lack of surprise regarding this milestone, urging decisive action from governments at COP29 to transition away from carbon-emitting fossil fuels. The Paris Agreement established a target to limit global warming to below 1.5°C, but current trajectories suggest a breach of this target around 2030, which is now imminent. As temperature increases contribute to extreme weather events worldwide, the implications are dire. Recent catastrophic floods in Spain, wildfires in Peru, and significant flooding in Bangladesh exemplify these trends, impacting food security and prices. C3S’ temperature records date back to 1940 and are verified with historical data dating back to 1850, painting a disturbing picture of the ongoing climate crisis.
The announcement from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) comes at a critical time as the world grapples with the realities of climate change amidst growing concerns about global warming. The findings highlight the urgent need for global cooperation in addressing climate-related challenges, particularly as nations prepare to convene at the COP29 summit. The potential impacts of climate change on ecosystems, economies, and human livelihoods underscore the importance of adhering to international agreements aimed at limiting temperature rise.
In conclusion, the Copernicus Climate Change Service predicts that 2024 will likely become the hottest year on record, largely driven by anthropogenic climate change. The urgency of the situation emphasizes the necessity for governments to take immediate and effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adhere to international climate agreements. The ongoing trends of extreme weather instigate a pressing call for a monumental shift in energy policy and greater investments in sustainable practices.
Original Source: www.swissinfo.ch
