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UN Warns of 'Climate Breakdown' as 2024 Becomes Hottest Year After Decade of Deadly Heat

Dec 30, 2024, 01:30 PM

2024 has been recorded as the hottest year in history, with the top ten hottest years occurring in the last decade, which UN Secretary-General António Guterres described as a 'decade of deadly heat.' The year witnessed a surge in extreme weather events worldwide, including wildfires in the Americas, heatwaves in Asia, storms, droughts, and floods. Some regions faced over 150 days of extreme heat due to human-caused climate change, which added 41 additional days of extreme heat globally. Emissions of greenhouse gases reached record levels, intensifying and increasing the frequency of heatwaves. Guterres warned of a 'climate breakdown' in his New Year message, stating, 'This is climate breakdown in real time.' He urged countries to dramatically slash emissions and support a transition to renewable energy in 2025 to 'exit this road to ruin' and put the world on a safer path.