The year 2024 is officially on track to become the warmest year ever recorded, with November data reinforcing this trend. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), global average temperatures in November reached 14.10°C, surpassing the 1991–2020 average by 0.73°C.
November 2024 was 1.62°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, marking the 16th out of the last 17 months to exceed 1.5°C. This sustained rise in global temperatures highlights the worsening effects of climate change.
Urgent Action Needed as Climate Records Shatter
Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S, confirmed that 2024 is nearly certain to break all previous global temperature records. “The data shows 2024 will be the warmest year on record and the first year above 1.5°C,” she said.
She clarified that exceeding 1.5°C this year does not breach the Paris Agreement. However, it serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for accelerated climate action.
Global temperatures from January to November 2024 averaged 0.72°C above the 1991–2020 baseline. This is the highest on record for this period and 0.14°C warmer than the same timeframe in 2023. Experts have determined that even an unlikely drop in temperatures during December cannot prevent 2024 from becoming the hottest year ever recorded.
The record was all but confirmed in October when C3S warned that global temperatures would need to fall near zero to avoid the milestone.
Escalating Impacts of Global Warming
At COP29 in Baku, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued a grim warning about the intensifying impacts of climate change. Global temperatures have already risen by 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels, contributing to severe environmental consequences.
The world is experiencing unprecedented sea surface temperatures, rapid ice cap melting, prolonged droughts, and increasingly destructive storms. Flooding and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and devastating.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo expressed frustration at the global response. “Scientists have been sounding the alarm for over 30 years,” she said. “The surprise is how slow we’ve been to act.”
The data is clear. The planet is overheating, and immediate, decisive measures are needed to prevent further climate disasters.
