Report: 2024 Set to Break Global Temperature Records, Exceeding +1.5°C

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Facts

  • The Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported that 2024 will surpass 2023 as the warmest year on record, with average global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.[1][2]
  • Global temperatures between January and November 2024 reached record levels, marking 16 consecutive months of record-breaking heat since June 2023.[3][4]
  • Extreme weather events in 2024 included severe droughts in Italy and South America, devastating floods in Nepal, Sudan, and Europe, and deadly heatwaves in Mexico, Mali, and Saudi Arabia that killed thousands.[2]
  • Natural disasters caused economic losses totaling $310B in 2024, with developing countries particularly vulnerable to climate impacts, as estimated by the research institute of insurance firm Swiss Re.[5][6]
  • Antarctic sea-ice extent recorded its second-lowest levels in satellite history, while glaciers experienced unprecedented melting — collectively losing about five times the volume of water of the Dead Sea.[4]
  • Ocean heat content reached record levels in 2024, with waters absorbing approximately 3.1M terawatt-hours of heat annually from 2005-2023 — equivalent to 18 times the world's energy consumption.[4]

Sources: [1]Al Jazeera, [2]Reuters, [3]The Guardian, [4]World Meteorological Organization, [5]Hürriyet Daily News and [6]France 24.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by France 24 and Al Jazeera. The current temperature rise represents a critical warning signal requiring immediate action, as the world remains drastically off-track from meeting Paris Agreement goals. Current climate policies could potentially lead to catastrophic warming of over 3°C, making ambitious emission reductions more urgent than ever.
  • Narrative B, as provided by The Wall Street Journal and Duluth News Tribune. A single year above 1.5°C does not necessarily indicate a breach of the Paris Agreement, as the threshold should be measured over decades, and natural phenomena like El Niño contribute to temperature variations, suggesting the need for longer-term analysis before drawing definitive conclusions.