By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS- According to a new report released on Tuesday by the World Meteorological Organization stated that the effects of human-driven climate change surged to alarming levels in 2024, with some consequences likely to be irreversible for centuries – if not millennia.
The latest State of the Global Climate report confirms 2024 as the hottest year since records began 175 years ago, with a global mean temperature of 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels surpassing the critical warming threshold of 1.5°C for the first time.
WMO report said that a single year above 1.5°C doesn’t break the Paris Agreement‘s long-term goals (a long-term average below 1.5°C), it is a stark warning of the urgent need for emissions reduction.
Multiple climate indicators also set new records. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are at their highest in 800,000 years, and the oceans continue to warm at unprecedented rates.
He report stressed that glaciers and sea ice are rapidly melting, contributing to a rise in global sea levels that threatens coastal ecosystems and infrastructure worldwide.
The tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, and other hazards last year led to the highest number of new displacements recorded in 16 years, contributing to worsening food crises, and fuelling massive economic losses.
UN head Antonio Guterres said that the Paris Agreement goals are still achievable and called on world leaders to step up their efforts in response to the mounting crisis despite these alarming trends,.“Our planet is issuing more distress signals – but this report shows that limiting long-term global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible. Leaders must step up to make it happen seizing the benefits of cheap, clean renewables for their people and economies – with new national climate plans due this year’’, he urged.
WMO head Celeste Saulo called the report findings a “wake-up call” to the increasing level of deadly risk facing human life, economies and the planet.
“WMO and the global community are intensifying efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate services to help decision-makers and society at large be more resilient to extreme weather and climate. We are making progress but need to go further and need to go faster”, she said.
The report explained that the record-breaking global temperatures in 2023 and 2024 were primarily driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, amplified by the transition from La Niña to El Niño.
It indicated that the other factors that might have contributed include solar cycle variation, volcanic activity and changes in ocean circulation.
Scientists underscored the urgency of taking action, outlining some already irreversible changes – including the rate of sea level rise that has doubled since satellite measurements began.
Projections show that ocean warming reached its highest level on record, will continue over the rest of the 21st century and beyond, even if the world were to significantly reduce emissions.
The ocean acidification will continue to increase for the rest of this century, at rates dependent on future emissions, WMO report concluded.
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