World breached Critical 1.5-Degree Celsius Limit For Entire Year

For the first time, the global mean temperature breached the critical 1.5-degree Celsius threshold for an entire year, the European climate agency said on Thursday. This does not imply a permanent breach of the temperature limit specified in the Paris Agreement, PTI reports. But worryingly, the temperature in January 2024 was 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels for months, and the year was confirmed to be the warmest January on record globally, according to Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). 

As per the scientists, every month since June last year has been the warmest such month on record. The high temperature with exceptional warming can be attributed to the combined effects of El Niño — a period of abnormal warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean — and human-caused climate change. The global mean temperature for the past 12 months (February 2023-January 2024) was the highest on record and 1.52 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average, according to C3S. The global average temperature in January was 1.66 degrees Celsius above the January average for 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period.

A 12-month period of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius 

The Deputy Director of C3S, Samantha Burgess, said “2024 starts with another record-breaking month — not only is it the warmest January on record but we have also just experienced a 12-month period of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial reference period”. The “rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to stop global temperatures from increasing,” she added.

As per the World Meteorological Organisation’s statement in December, the year 2024 “could be worse as El Niño typically has the greatest impact on global temperature after it peaks.” Countries of the world agreed in Paris to limit the average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels (1850-1900), to avoid worsening climate impacts, it outlined.  Scientists are urging the countries worldwide to cut down the emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane by 43 per cent by 2030, in order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

(With PTI Input)