People playing and cycling near water fountains in a bustling urban setting.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has predicted that 2024 will be the hottest year on record. According to the climate monitor, 2024 will also be the first year to surpass the critical 1.5°C global benchmark, a temperature threshold to protect the planet from catastrophic warming. This alarming milestone signals a significant departure from pre-industrial levels before humans began to burn large volumes of fossil fuels and significantly raise carbon emission levels. Copernicus data, spanning back to 1940 and supported by historical climate indicators, also confirms this period as the warmest in 125,000 years. Scientists warn that sustained temperature increases above 1.5°C could lead to catastrophic climate impacts, yet global efforts remain insufficient, risking a 3.1°C rise in temperature by the century’s end. Global warming has already led to extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, and wildfires, and scientists fear that a further rise will lead to even worse events.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA