2024 Set to Become Hottest Year on Record

The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service announced today that 2024 is projected to surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record.

This alarming prediction comes ahead of the upcoming United Nations COP29 Climate Change Conference, which will take place next week in Azerbaijan and aims to drive international efforts to bolster climate financing.

The anticipated global temperature surge in 2024 follows a pattern of extreme warmth observed from January to October this year.

Copernicus experts highlight that, barring a sudden drop in temperatures to nearly zero in the remaining months, 2024 will secure its place as the hottest year ever recorded.

Director of Copernicus, Carlo Buontempo, shared his concerns, stating that climate warming is intensifying across all continents and oceans.

The report underscores the major role of carbon emissions, primarily from coal, oil, and gas combustion, as the driving force behind global warming.

This warning coincides with a new political development: the re-election of former President Donald Trump in the United States, which casts uncertainty on the future of global climate negotiations and the level of US support in addressing climate change.

The urgency of the situation is underlined by the 2015 Paris Agreement, in which nations committed to limiting global temperature rise to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. While this target has not yet been breached, Copernicus scientists now predict that the threshold could be surpassed by around 2030 if current trends continue.

As the world looks toward COP29, the stakes are higher than ever. Leaders will be under pressure to implement concrete actions to curb emissions and secure financing to address climate impacts, particularly for vulnerable nations.