Earth Records Hottest Year in 2024, First to Surpass 1.5°C Threshold, Copernicus Confirms

Jan 10, 2025, 03:13 AM

Earth experienced its hottest year on record in 2024, with global temperatures rising 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This marks the first time the 1.5°C threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement has been surpassed in a calendar year since records began in 1850. The unprecedented heat, which scientists say is 'beyond what modern humans have ever experienced,' pushes the planet closer to critical climate thresholds. Extreme weather events in 2024 highlighted the dangers of a warmer world, but scientists emphasize it is not too late to act to mitigate further climate change.