Rising global temperatures are set to make 2024 the warmest year on record, exceeding the critical 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels. With no cooling La Niña event, experts warn that this acceleration in warming underscores the urgent need for global action on emissions.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), 2024 is set to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, marking a critical milestone outlined in the Paris Agreement. This is the first year to surpass this threshold, signaling an alarming acceleration of the climate crisis.

At the start of the year, meteorologists anticipated that a La Niña event would cool global temperatures. La Niña is a climate phenomenon characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which generally leads to global cooling. However, this event failed to materialize, and instead, temperatures have remained unusually high throughout the year.

Julien Nicolas, a climate change scientist at C3S, confirmed that, with 11 months of data for 2024 now available, the agency is "virtually certain" that this will be the warmest year on record.

Scientists have linked the persistent rise in global temperatures to the continued burning of fossil fuels, which is exacerbating global warming trends. This underscores the urgent need for stronger measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nicolas further emphasized that surpassing the 1.5°C threshold in 2024 serves as a stark reminder of the climate crisis, urging immediate action to reduce emissions. He pointed out that November 2024 marks the 16th consecutive month of temperatures exceeding this critical level, highlighting the ongoing challenge.

Experts also warn that 2024 could surpass 1.55°C above the pre-industrial average, reinforcing the need for global efforts to curb emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

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