2024: A record-breaking year for global temperatures, surpassing 1.5°C threshold

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average temperature for 2024 reached 15.10°C, 0.12°C higher than the previous record set in 2023. This marks the first time global temperatures have exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.5°C for an entire year, a significant milestone in the ongoing climate crisis.

 

The Copernicus report ^[1], published on January 10, 2025, reveals that the past decade has seen the warmest years on record, with unprecedented average temperatures in 2024. Each month from January to June 2024 was warmer than in previous years, August 2024 matched the record heat of August 2023, and the months from July to December 2024 were the second warmest on record for their respective periods.

 

In addition to rising temperatures, ocean warming plays a critical role in the acceleration of climate change. According to Copernicus’s report, sea surface temperatures in non-polar regions reached a record high of 20.87°C in 2024, continuing a trend of higher-than-average temperatures across many ocean basins. This warming affects both ocean currents and atmospheric conditions, contributing to more intense weather events, including storms and hurricanes, which further stress global infrastructure and ecosystems.

 

Experts are emphasising the importance of urgent, coordinated action to address the accelerating climate crisis. “The future is in our hands,”  Copernicus Climate Change Service director Carlo Buontempo said. As temperatures rise further, the window for decisive action remains open but the time to act is growing short.

 

Source

[1] Copernicus Climate Change Service. (2025, January 10). Global Climate Highlights 2024. Copernicus. https://climate.copernicus.eu/global-climate-highlights-2024