2024 is projected to be the hottest year on record, with temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Severe weather conditions globally are attributed to human-induced climate change. Despite climate pledges, CO2 emissions are set to reach record highs. A potential La Nina event may cool temperatures slightly in 2025, but will not alter the underlying trend of rising temperatures.
According to European Union scientists, 2024 is projected to be the hottest year on record, with persistently high temperatures expected to last into the early months of 2025. This alarming conclusion stems from data provided by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and comes shortly after a $300 billion climate agreement was reached at UN climate talks, which impoverished nations criticized as inadequate given the escalating costs associated with climate-related disasters.
The C3S reported that from January to November of this year, global average temperatures have exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time. This surpasses the previous record set in 2023. The year 2024 has seen a surge of extreme weather events, including severe drought in regions such as Italy and South America, along with catastrophic floods that have struck Nepal, Sudan, and Europe. Heatwaves in places like Mexico, Mali, and Saudi Arabia have claimed thousands of lives, while powerful cyclones have wreaked havoc in the United States and the Philippines, all attributable to human-induced climate change.
Research indicates that November 2023 was the warmest on record, positioning last month as the second warmest of all time. “We’re still in near-record-high territory for global temperatures, and that’s likely to stay at least for the next few months,” stated Julien Nicolas, a climate researcher at Copernicus. The primary driver of climate change is carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion, and despite numerous governmental pledges to achieve net-zero emissions, global CO2 levels are on track to reach an unprecedented high this year.
Scientists are also evaluating the potential formation of a La Nina weather pattern in 2025, which could result in a temporary cooling of global temperatures. Nonetheless, such a development would not arrest the long-term trend of rising temperatures driven by emissions. As we currently find ourselves in neutral weather conditions following the conclusion of an El Nino phase, the impact of a potential La Nina should not be overstated. “While 2025 might be slightly cooler than 2024, if a La Nina event develops, this does not mean temperatures will be ‘safe’ or ‘normal,’” remarked Friederike Otto, a senior lecturer at Imperial College London. She further warned that extreme weather phenomena, such as heatwaves, droughts, and tropical cyclones, will likely continue to occur.
The increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters highlight the urgent need for global action against climate change. The Copernicus Climate Change Service, representing reliable scientific research from the European Union, has been monitoring climate trends and providing essential data. The significant rise in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels signals an alarming trend caused primarily by human activity. With governments pledging to reduce carbon emissions, the reality of skyrocketing CO2 levels demonstrates a gap between commitments and action, thereby exacerbating the climate crisis.
The data asserting that 2024 will be the hottest year on record underscores the urgent need for global action to combat climate change. Extreme weather events continue to escalate, driven by human-induced carbon emissions that threaten both the environment and human life. While potential natural phenomena such as La Nina might temporarily affect temperatures, the long-term trend remains concerning. Comprehensive and effective strategies are essential to mitigate climate change and its impacts on future generations.
Original Source: sightmagazine.com.au
