Multiple weather agencies confirmed on Friday that Earth reached its highest recorded temperature in 2024, temporarily exceeding a key climate change limit. The global average temperature surpassed the previous record set in 2023 by a significant margin, according to a report by Associated Press.
This increase pushed the planet past the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold established by the 2015 Paris Agreement, as reported by the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Service, the UK Met Office, and Japan’s weather agency.
Record-breaking figures from leading climate agencies
Copernicus calculated a 1.6 degrees Celsius increase, Japan reported 1.57 degrees Celsius, and the UK measured 1.53 degrees Celsius. These figures represent warming since the late 1800s. U.S. agencies, including NASA and NOAA, are expected to release their data. These agencies use varying methods to account for gaps in historical data dating back to 1850, hence the slight differences in reported figures.
Fossil fuels drive extreme heat
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas is the primary driver of these record temperatures, according to Samantha Burgess, strategic climate lead at Copernicus. “As greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, temperatures continue to increase, including in the ocean, sea levels continue to rise, and glaciers and ice sheets continue to melt.”
The warmest decade
The 2024 temperature exceeded 2023’s by an eighth of a degree Celsius, a significant jump compared to previous records typically broken by hundredths of a degree. The last decade represents the warmest 10-year period on record, and possibly the hottest in 125,000 years. Copernicus also identified July 10, 2024, as the hottest day ever recorded, with a global average of 17.16 degrees Celsius.
While the burning of fossil fuels remains the biggest factor, a naturally occurring El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean contributed slightly to the warming. A 2022 undersea volcanic eruption had a cooling effect due to the release of reflective particles and water vapor into the atmosphere, according to Burgess.
First breach of 1.5°C annual threshold
This marks the first time the 1.5-degree threshold has been crossed for a full year, except for a 2023 measurement by Berkeley Earth. Scientists stress that the 1.5-degree target refers to long-term warming, defined as a 20-year average. Long-term warming since pre-industrial times is currently at 1.3 degrees Celsius.
“The 1.5 degree C threshold isn’t just a number — it’s a red flag. Surpassing it even for a single year shows how perilously close we are to breaching the limits set by the Paris Agreement,” said Northern Illinois University climate scientist Victor Gensini.
Future challenges
Although 2025 is predicted to be slightly cooler due to the anticipated shift to a cooling La Niña, the first six days of January have already recorded the hottest start to a year, based on Copernicus data. Experts disagree on whether global warming is accelerating. While atmospheric warming acceleration remains unclear, the heat content of oceans appears to be rising at a faster rate, according to Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo.
“We are facing a very new climate and new challenges — climate challenges that our society is not prepared for,” said Buontempo.
