The WMO State of the Climate 2024 report indicates 2024 is on the track to become the hottest year, with global temperatures reaching 1.5 Degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
As per the report, 2015-2024 will be the hottest decade that witnessed the loss of ice from glaciers, increased ocean heating, extreme weather and sea-level rise. These imbalances are causing massive environmental upheaval, impacting communities and economies worldwide.
The global mean surface air temperature from January to September 2024 was 1.54 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, driven in part by a fierce El Niño event and greenhouse effect, according to a report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
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The global mean surface air temperature from January to September 2024 was 1.54 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, driven in part by a fierce El Niño event, according to a report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
“Climate catastrophe is hammering health, widening inequalities, harming sustainable development, and rocking the foundations of peace. The vulnerable are hardest hit,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.
“As monthly and annual warming temporarily surpasses 1.5°C, it is important to emphasise that this does NOT mean we have failed to meet the Paris Agreement goal to keep the long-term global average surface temperature increase well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said.
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Currently, the world is experiencing an El Niño event, which is contributing to rising temperatures and extreme weather changes. El Niño occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean warm up, affecting global weather patterns. It happens every 2 to 7 years and lasts 9 to 12 months.
This phenomenon can lead to warmer temperatures in places like the U.S., Canada, and South America, as well as increased rainfall that causes flooding in the Western U.S. and parts of South America. It also triggers droughts in regions like Southeast Asia, Australia, and Africa, and influences hurricane activity in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
“The record-breaking rainfall and flooding, rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, deadly heat, relentless drought, and raging wildfires that we have seen in different parts of the world this year are unfortunately our new reality and a foretaste of our future,” Celeste Saulo stated.
She emphasised the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen monitoring and understanding of the changing climate by adopting initiatives like "Early Warnings for All," which aims to protect communities from severe weather events.
The WMO State of the Climate 2024 report was issued on the first day of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlighting that the goals of the Paris Agreement are in serious danger.
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