Earth Records Hottest Year in 2024, Temperatures Rise 1.6°C Above Pre-industrial Levels

Jan 10, 2025, 03:27 AM

In 2024, Earth recorded its hottest year in history, with average global temperatures rising 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels, according to data from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) based on records dating back to 1850. This marks the first time a full calendar year has exceeded the 1.5°C warming limit outlined in the Paris Agreement. The unprecedented temperature increase brings the planet closer to critical climate thresholds, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change. Scientists emphasize that the last decade has been the hottest on record, likely the hottest in 125,000 years, and warn that it is not too late to act. They caution that the extreme weather events experienced in 2024 demonstrate the dangers of a world 1.5 degrees hotter.