In a stark warning, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that 2024 is on track to surpass last year’s record as the hottest year globally, underscoring the escalating impact of human-induced climate change.
Despite the year not being concluded, NOAA expressed confidence that 2024 has a more than 99 percent likelihood of exceeding the previous temperature peak, marking a historic milestone since temperature records began in 1850. The data revealed a global temperature increase of 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28 degrees Celsius) above the 20th Century average from January to November, with every continent except Asia experiencing its warmest year on record.
This alarming trend poses a significant challenge to the goal outlined in the Paris climate agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius since the Industrial Revolution. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service had previously projected that this threshold was surpassed this year, emphasizing the urgency of sustained efforts to combat climate change.
The imminent return of President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to reverse climate policies implemented under President Joe Biden and withdraw the U.S. from the Paris agreement, raises concerns about the future trajectory of climate action. While Biden has prioritized climate initiatives, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, aimed at combating climate change and supporting communities in adapting to environmental shifts, the political landscape poses challenges to these endeavors.
Climate experts, including Zeke Hausfather from Berkeley Earth, have highlighted the unexpected severity of the temperature increase in 2024, attributing it to prolonged elevated temperatures following the dissipation of the El Niño weather pattern from the previous year. This sustained warming trend indicates a worrisome acceleration in global temperature rise.
Adm. Rachel Levine from the Health and Human Services department emphasized the dire consequences of unchecked climate change, warning of increased health risks, food insecurity, and the spread of tropical diseases. Despite potential short-term fluctuations, the overarching trend points towards continued global temperature elevation, as noted by NASA’s Gavin Schmidt.
Looking ahead, the UK Met Office’s forecast for 2025 predicts one of the warmest years on record, further underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change. Additionally, NOAA’s recent report on the Arctic tundra shifting from a carbon sink to a greenhouse gas emitter due to rapid warming highlights the pressing need for immediate action to mitigate these environmental shifts.
