Hyderabad: The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has issued a Red Alert at the sheer pace of climate change in a single generation, claiming this year to be on track to be the warmest year on record as the warming temporarily hits 1.54 degrees Celsius.
According to the report -- issued on the first day of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan -- the global mean surface air temperature between January and September 2024 was 1.54 degrees Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of 0.13 degrees), boosted by a warming El Nino event.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo clarified that temporary exceedances of 1.5°C in monthly and annual warming do not mean the Paris Agreement goal has failed, as it focuses on long-term averages over decades. She noted that temperature anomalies can vary greatly due to natural phenomena like El Niño and La Niña. Saulo emphasized that every fraction of a degree of warming is significant, as each increment increases climate extremes, impacts, and risks.
Celeste Saulo mentioned the record-breaking rainfall and flooding, rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, deadly heat, relentless drought, and raging wildfires and emphasised the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve monitoring and understanding of our changing climate. Saulo also stressed the importance of increasing support for climate change adaptation through climate information services and Early Warnings for All.
Let's take a look at the report highlights:
Global temperatures
- 2024 is on track to surpass 2023 as the warmest year as global mean temperatures likely exceeded previous records for 16 consecutive months (June 2023 to September 2024)
- Exceeding 1.5°C in individual years doesn't mean the Paris Agreement goal is out of reach; it refers to long-term averages over decades
- Long-term global warming is currently around 1.3°C above the 1850-1900 baseline