2024 has officially become the first year with average global temperatures surpassing 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, according to scientists. This milestone highlights the accelerating impacts of climate change, confirming that the planet is experiencing unprecedented temperature rise due to human activities.

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• 2024 is the first full year with global temperatures 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
• The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) confirmed this significant temperature milestone.
• The planet’s average temperature in 2024 was 1.6°C higher than the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period.
• 2024 is the hottest year on record, with each of the past ten years ranking among the warmest.
• The rising global temperatures are primarily driven by greenhouse gas emissions.
• Global climate impacts are widespread, with devastating wildfires, floods, and heatwaves across various regions.
• In 2024, wildfires in California, Bolivia, and Venezuela, as well as deadly floods in Nepal, Sudan, and Spain, made headlines.
• The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere reached a record high, exacerbating storms and rainfall.
• Despite the alarming climate impacts, political will to reduce emissions has weakened in some countries.
• Concentrations of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, hit a record high of 422 parts per million in 2024.