An exploration of the alarming acceleration of global warming, as 2024 becomes the hottest year on record, surpassing 1.5C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.
Record-Breaking Heat: A New Normal?
Since 2010, Earth has experienced its hottest year a staggering 12 times. In 2023, the second-hottest year ever recorded, every single day surpassed 1.0C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial level. Nearly 50% of the days that year were more than 1.5C warmer, and for the first time, two days in November exceeded 2.0C. Unsurprisingly, 2024 shattered all previous records, marking the hottest year in history. What made this milestone even more concerning was that, for the first time, the global average temperature exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
A Stark Warning from the UN
On 10 January 2025, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a chilling statement: “Global heating is a cold, hard fact.” His remarks came just months after a disappointing outcome at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP). While developing nations had anticipated a revised New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) of USD 1 trillion annually, only USD 300 billion was promised.
Despite this setback, Guterres emphasised that while a single year surpassing 1.5C does not mean long-term goals are unachievable, it signals the need for immediate and intensified action. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo echoed these concerns, stating that since 2015, there have been 10 record-breaking years, each accompanied by extreme weather, rising sea levels, and melting ice. He stressed that every incremental rise in global temperature worsens the impact on human lives, economies, and ecosystems.
The Role of Ocean Warming
A study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences revealed that ocean warming played a key role in these record-high temperatures. The research found that the ocean is now the warmest it has ever been in human history, not just at the surface but also at depths of up to 2,000 meters.
Approximately 90% of the excess heat from global warming is stored in the ocean, making ocean heat content a critical indicator of climate change. From 2023 to 2024, the global upper 2,000m ocean heat content increased by 1,021 Joules – about 140 times the world’s total electricity generation in 2023. This warming has contributed to extreme weather events worldwide, including record-breaking rainfall, catastrophic floods, heat waves exceeding 50.0C, and devastating wildfires. In 2024 alone, there were 41 days of dangerous heat, severely impacting human health and ecosystems.
Efforts to Combat Climate Change
Despite the grim statistics, efforts are underway to address global warming. The year 2025 has been designated as the ‘International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation’ to prioritise the protection of Earth’s frozen regions, which play a crucial role in regulating global temperatures.
The WMO is spearheading initiatives such as the ‘Global Greenhouse Gas Watch’, which aims to improve the monitoring of global greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, WMO is working to implement the ‘Early Warnings for All’ program by 2027, which seeks to provide universal protection from hazardous environmental events through life-saving anticipatory systems.
A STUDY PUBLISHED IN ADVANCES IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES REVEALED THAT OCEAN WARMING PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THESE RECORD-HIGH TEMPERATURES. THE RESEARCH FOUND THAT THE OCEAN IS NOW THE WARMEST IT HAS EVER BEEN IN HUMAN HISTORY, NOT JUST AT THE SURFACE BUT ALSO AT DEPTHS OF UP TO 2,000 METERS.
No Signs of Slowing Down
Despite these initiatives, experts remain concerned. Russ Vose, Chief of Monitoring at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), warns that there are no signs of global temperatures stabilising. He explained that increased heat in the system leads to cascading effects: rising sea levels, higher humidity, and more extreme storms.
Jennifer Francis of the Woodwell Climate Research Center suggests that the public may be growing desensitised to climate-related warnings. She expressed concern that despite the worsening situation, the urgency to act is diminishing. Meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia cited events like Hurricane Helene, floods in Spain, and intensifying wildfires in California as symptoms of this worsening crisis.
The Reality of Climate Complacency
There is a term that describes the widespread inaction on climate change called ‘climate complacency’. Research indicates that this phenomenon is prevalent worldwide. Many individuals and even governments fail to take the crisis seriously despite mounting evidence of its severity. Several factors contribute to this inaction – a belief that individual actions will not make a significant difference, political pressures and economic concerns, such as fears of slowing infrastructure development, and the overwhelming scale of the crisis, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and inaction.
THERE IS A TERM THAT DESCRIBES THE WIDESPREAD INACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE CALLED ‘CLIMATE COMPLACENCY’. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS PHENOMENON IS PREVALENT WORLDWIDE. MANY INDIVIDUALS AND EVEN GOVERNMENTS FAIL TO TAKE THE CRISIS SERIOUSLY DESPITE MOUNTING EVIDENCE OF ITS SEVERITY.
It Is Still Not Too Late
Despite these challenges, research consistently shows that there is still time to act. NASA provides an extreme but illustrative example. If all human-made greenhouse gas emissions stopped today, global temperature increases would begin to slow, then flatten within a few years. While this scenario is unrealistic, it highlights that urgent action can still mitigate long-term damage.
Without major efforts to curb emissions, global temperatures are projected to rise between 2.5C and 4.5C by 2100. However, there is still uncertainty about whether global warming has accelerated or slowed since mitigation efforts began. There simply isn’t enough data to draw a definitive conclusion. What remains clear, however, is that immediate and large-scale action is the only way to avoid irreversible damage to our planet.
