This has led to another report showing the intensifying impacts of climate change in 2024. It is going to be the warmest year, after all. The European climate agency Copernicus reported that this year’s global average temperature was at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This marks a point in the trend of warming of the planet.
41 More Days of Extreme Heat
Extreme heat added up to 41 more days of the year in the 2024 world compared with in the past. Small island developing states were the hardest hit, with more than 130 extra hot days. These are findings of a collaborative analysis between World Weather Attribution and Climate Central.
The report examined 219 extreme weather events from 2024, while detailed studies were conducted on 29 incidents. Climate change was blamed for at least 26 of these incidents, thus accounting for around 3,700 deaths and millions in displacements.
Deadliest Weather Events of 2024
Among the extreme events, the floods in Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad were reported to be the deadliest. The floods killed at least 2,000 people. Scientists say that with a global temperature increase of 2°C, these heavy rainfall events will become an annual occurrence in those regions.
Global Temperature Trends
Copernicus data shows that the end of 2024 will be at least 1.55°C warmer than pre-industrial times. It does not mean, however, that this will be a permanent breach of the 1.5°C threshold in the Paris Agreement. Experts say that the world is now entering a phase where it will continue to surpass the limit.
The global average temperature has risen already by 1.3°C from the 1850-1900 reference period because of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Its biggest contributor, however remains fossil fuels; coal, oil, and gas constitute more than 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Urgency of Action
According to the IPCC, there should be a peaking of global emissions by 2025 and a great decline in global emissions by 2030 to ensure capping at 1.5°C. However, recent data published by the UN showed that present policies would bring an increase of 3°C in the years to come by 2100. With full deployment of Nationally Determined Contributions, the cut would likely be only about 5.9% of what the 2019 baseline emits in 2030.
Challenges with Transitioning to Clean Energy
Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is crucial but difficult, particularly for the Global South. The countries of the Global South face economic, technological, and social barriers such as their dependence on fossil fuels for employment, lack of infrastructure and funding, and limited access to clean energy technologies.
The report therefore calls for international cooperation and heavy investment in these challenges. In the absence of timely transition to renewable energy, the world stands at a risk of breaching the 1.5°C threshold, leading to severe and irreversible climate impacts.
Conclusion
As 2024 draws to a close, the harsh realities of climate change have never been clearer. The report calls for immediate global action on a transition away from fossil fuel use and sustainable practices. It is only through concerted efforts at lowering emissions, supporting vulnerable regions, and investing in clean energy solutions that the goals of the Paris Agreement can be met.
Source: Copernicus, World Weather Attribution, Climate Central