Record Global Temperatures Surpass 1.5°C Threshold, Highlighting Urgent Climate Action Need

January 2024 has been recorded as the warmest January since records began, marking a significant milestone in the context of global climate change. The EU’s climate change service highlighted that average global temperatures have surpassed the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels for an entire year, a key limit set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. This development emphasizes the challenges in meeting global warming targets and signals a move into new and potentially dangerous territory. The unprecedented temperatures have contributed to extreme weather events worldwide, including deadly wildfires and severe storms, underlining the urgent need for action to address climate change.

• January 2024 was the warmest January on record.
• Average global temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for an entire year for the first time, breaching a critical limit of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
• The past 12 months were the hottest ever recorded, at 1.52 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
• Unprecedented heat has fueled disasters globally, including the deadliest wildfires in Chile and Canada’s most destructive wildfire season.
• Rising temperatures have worsened extreme weather events, such as storms in California, leading to increased concerns over their impact on the environment and humanity.
• While the 1.5-degree threshold has been temporarily breached, average temperatures are currently around 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, indicating an urgent need for action to avoid permanent and more severe consequences.
• Extreme weather events, driven by climate change, are likely to worsen, affecting agriculture, food and water access, driving migration, and leading to conflict in some regions.
• Strategies to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change include transitioning away from fossil fuels, protecting carbon sinks like forests, and providing support for vulnerable regions to adapt to climate changes.
• Efforts to stay below the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold require immediate and concerted action from global leaders and communities.

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