Record greenhouse gas levels in 2024 have driven global temperatures to an all-time high, accelerating the loss of glaciers and sea ice, raising sea levels, and bringing the world closer to a key climate threshold, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Record greenhouse gas levels pushed temperatures to an unprecedented high in 2024, accelerating the loss of glaciers and sea ice, raising sea levels, and edging the world closer to a critical climate threshold, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The WMO’s annual climate report revealed that global average temperatures in 2024 were 1.55°C (2.79°F) above pre-industrial levels, surpassing the previous 2023 record by 0.1°C. This puts the world perilously close to exceeding the 1.5°C temperature increase limit set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. While various factors, including a shift in the solar cycle, a significant volcanic eruption, and a reduction in cooling aerosols, contributed to last year’s temperature spike, the primary driver remains the record levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
The report highlighted the dire consequences of these temperature increases, with extreme weather events causing widespread devastation. Droughts led to severe food shortages, while floods and wildfires displaced over 800,000 people—the highest number since records began in 2008.
Meanwhile, ocean heat reached its highest recorded levels, with warming rates accelerating. Rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the ocean also contributed to increasing acidification, further threatening marine life.
The accelerated melting of glaciers and sea ice pushed sea levels to a new high. From 2015 to 2024, sea levels rose by an average of 4.7 millimeters per year—more than double the 2.1 millimeters annually recorded between 1993 and 2002, according to WMO data.
John Kennedy, WMO’s scientific coordinator, also warned of the broader, long-term impacts of the melting ice in polar regions. “Changes in those areas could influence global ocean circulation patterns, which in turn can affect global climate,” he explained. "What happens in the poles doesn’t stay at the poles."
While preliminary estimates suggest the long-term average temperature increase is between 1.34°C and 1.41°C, bringing the world close to the Paris target, the WMO clarified that a single year exceeding 1.5°C does not necessarily indicate a breach of the Paris Agreement threshold. However, due to uncertainty in the data, it cannot be completely ruled out, Kennedy said during a briefing.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as missile strikes continue across the country.
President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree renaming Volgograd International Airport as Stalingrad, invoking Soviet wartime memory as Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday invited global scientists to make Europe their new home, amid rising pressure on U.S. universities under the Trump administration.
North Korea has conducted the first weapons test on its new “Choe Hyon-class” warship, firing cruise missiles, anti-air missiles, and artillery, state media reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that India is planning a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, citing credible intelligence.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as missile strikes continue across the country.
President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree renaming Volgograd International Airport as Stalingrad, invoking Soviet wartime memory as Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday invited global scientists to make Europe their new home, amid rising pressure on U.S. universities under the Trump administration.
North Korea has conducted the first weapons test on its new “Choe Hyon-class” warship, firing cruise missiles, anti-air missiles, and artillery, state media reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that India is planning a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, citing credible intelligence.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
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For three generations, the Liebigs built railcars in Görlitz. Now, the factory that shaped their lives will produce parts for battle tanks.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
Leaders from around the world, including the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, will come together today to address the global challenges and opportunities of speeding up the clean energy transition.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders to urgently step up climate efforts ahead of COP30, stressing that the planet faces deepening threats from worsening environmental disasters.
Oman, the Netherlands, and Germany have signed an agreement to establish the world’s first liquid green hydrogen import corridor, linking Oman’s Duqm port with Amsterdam and Duisburg. The project aims to supply Europe with renewable hydrogen, supporting clean energy goals.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reports that March 2025 was the second-warmest globally and the warmest on record in Europe, signaling ongoing changes in global climate trends.
China has unveiled an ambitious expansion of its renewable energy programme, pledging major investment in solar and wind infrastructure to boost clean energy to 40% of its power mix by 2030—marking a decisive shift toward grid integration and nationwide deployment.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine, even as missile strikes continue across the country.
President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree renaming Volgograd International Airport as Stalingrad, invoking Soviet wartime memory as Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday invited global scientists to make Europe their new home, amid rising pressure on U.S. universities under the Trump administration.
North Korea has conducted the first weapons test on its new “Choe Hyon-class” warship, firing cruise missiles, anti-air missiles, and artillery, state media reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that India is planning a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, citing credible intelligence.
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