2024 set to be hottest year on record, experts warn

Global heatwaves and deadly storms throughout the year suggest that 2024 is on track to become the hottest year on record. According to projections from the European Climate Service, average global temperatures for 2024 will exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a threshold that serves as a warning for the devastating impacts of climate change.

Experts indicate that human-induced climate change is the primary driver of the high temperatures, with natural factors like El Niño also contributing to the situation.

Ahead of the COP29 Climate Conference to be held in Azerbaijan next week, Liz Bentley, CEO of the Royal Meteorological Society, stated, "This latest record highlights the urgency for governments at COP29 to take action to limit global warming."

Record Year Expected
According to data from the European Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024 could surpass the 1.48°C record set last year, potentially becoming the first calendar year to exceed the 1.5°C threshold.

This temperature increase, measured against the pre-industrial period from 1850-1900, is seen as a threat to the long-term warming targets set by the Paris Climate Agreement.

While temperatures may experience a short-term decline due to the effects of the La Niña cooling phase expected to follow the current El Niño, scientists warn that new temperature records are only a matter of time due to the rapid rise in greenhouse gas levels.

Ed Hawkins, Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading, emphasized, "Balancing global temperatures and achieving zero emissions is the only way to reduce the costs of these disasters," urging stronger measures.

This new record has made the effects of more severe storms, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall even more pronounced worldwide.