2024 will be the hottest year on record and the first year above 1.5C, scientists confirm

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🗞️ Driving the news: 2024 is officially confirmed as the hottest year on record, with global average temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for 16 of the past 17 months
• November 2024 ranked as the second warmest November ever, at 1.62°C above pre-industrial levels, according to Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)
• Scientists stress the urgency for ambitious climate action to prevent worsening impacts

🔭 The context: Rising global temperatures are fueled by greenhouse gas emissions, causing record-breaking heat, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise
• The 1.5°C threshold aligns with the Paris Agreement’s target to limit warming, but exceeding it signals increased climate risks
• Reports from COP29 in Baku highlight worsening effects on ecosystems, infrastructure, and human health

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: A hotter planet exacerbates ice cap melting, sea-level rise, and extreme weather patterns like storms and droughts
• The impacts threaten biodiversity, agriculture, and water security, endangering communities worldwide
Scientists warn of an urgent need to address the causes of warming to avoid irreversible consequences

⏭️ What's next: While breaching 1.5°C this year doesn’t violate the Paris Agreement, it underscores the critical need for rapid emissions reductions
• Experts call for scaling renewable energy, halting deforestation, and enhancing global cooperation
• The next climate summits will test governments' commitment to stronger climate policies

💬 One quote: “This does not mean that the Paris Agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever.” — Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director, C3S

📈 One stat: Global average temperatures from January to November 2024 were 0.72°C above the 1991–2020 average, the highest on record and 0.14°C warmer than the same period in 2023

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