Silverio Omari
2024 is on track to become the hottest year on record, according to the European climate agency Copernicus, which made the announcement on Thursday. This year is also expected to be the first to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.
Climate scientists attribute most of the record heat to human activities, primarily the emissions of carbon dioxide and methane.
“Our records go back to 1940, but it’s possible this year’s heat may be part of a much longer trend,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus. “2024 will not only be the warmest year on record, but it will also be the first to surpass the critical 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels.”
The 1.5°C threshold is a key limit set by the global community in the 2015 Paris Agreement, aimed at preventing the most severe impacts of climate change.
The United Nations climate conference, known as COP, typically convenes annually to discuss global climate policy.
In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was adopted to regulate the production and consumption of nearly 100 chemicals that deplete the ozone layer. Buontempo highlighted that while global cooperation helped resolve the ozone issue, the current climate crisis presents more complex challenges. “The issue now is tied to our economic model and how we use resources, making it a far more intricate conversation,” he said.
The upcoming COP29 conference, starting on Monday in Azerbaijan, will focus on financing the global energy transition. The impacts of the warming climate have already been felt this year, with numerous extreme weather events serving as a stark reminder of the urgency for action.
Dj Vnyash
