The year 2024 is on track to be the warmest year on record after an extended streak of exceptionally high monthly global mean temperatures, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) press release
The WMO State of the Climate 2024 Update once again issues a Red Alert at the sheer pace of climate change in a single generation, turbo-charged by ever-increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. 2015-2024 will be the warmest ten years on record; the loss of ice from glaciers, sea-level rise and ocean heating are accelerating; and extreme weather is wreaking havoc on communities and economies across the world.
The WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science and meteorology. Since 1993 it has been publishing the State of the Global Climate reports annually and since 2016 WMO has also been reporting preliminary findings on key climate indicators.
The January – September 2024 global mean surface air temperature was 1.54 °C (with a margin of uncertainty of ±0.13°C) above the pre-industrial average, boosted by a warming El Niño event, according to an analysis of six international datasets used by WMO.
“As monthly and annual warming temporarily surpass 1.5°C, it is important to emphasize that this does NOT mean that we have failed to meet Paris Agreement goal to keep the long- term global average surface temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the warming to 1.5°C,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
“The record-breaking rainfall and flooding, rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, deadly heat, relentless drought and raging wildfires that we have seen in different parts of the world this year are unfortunately our new reality and a foretaste of our future,” said Celeste Saulo.
“We urgently need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen our monitoring and understanding of our changing climate. We need to step up support for climate change adaptation through climate information services and Early Warnings for All,” she said.
The global mean temperature in 2024 is on track to outstrip the temperature even of 2023, the current warmest year. For 16 consecutive months (June 2023 to September 2024), the global mean temperature likely exceeded anything recorded before, and often by a wide margin, according to WMO’s consolidated analysis of the datasets.
As global warming continues, there is an urgent and unavoidable need for careful tracking, monitoring and communication with regard to where the warming is relative to the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, to help policymakers in their deliberations.
To support this, WMO has established an international team of experts, and the initial indication is that long-term global warming is currently likely to be about 1.3°C compared to the 1850-1900 baseline.
As per the release, the greenhouse Gases reached record observed levels in 2023. Real time data indicate that they continued to rise in 2024.
Ocean heat content in 2023 was the highest on record and preliminary data show 2024 has continued at comparable levels. Ocean warming rates show a particularly strong increase in the past two decades.
Sea level rise is accelerating because of thermal expansion of warmer waters and melting glaciers and ice sheets.
Glacier loss is worsening, weather and climate experiencing extremes and the Antarctic sea seems ice extent.
The section on climate impacts, provided by United Nations partners, will be expanded in the final report on the State of the Global Climate 2024, due to be published in March 2025.
Climate services and early warnings have made progress in the past five years. There have been advances in Early Warnings for All (EW4All) to ensure that everyone is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027. 108 countries report having a Multi-Hazard Early Warning System.