The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has reported that it is “virtually certain” that 2024 will become the hottest year ever certified. The forecast once again exposes the harmful impacts that the climate crisis is causing on the environment. Specialists have urgently called on authorities around the world to set climate problems as a priority on their agendas.
The most recent report from the European monitoring system predicts that this year could be the first to reach an increase in global temperature greater than 1.5°C, compared to the pre-industrial era. The development has caused concern. Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3s, points out that “this trend marks a new milestone in global temperature records and should serve as a catalyst to increase ambition ahead of the next climate change conference. [de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU)]”.
The document indicates that, in the last 12 months, the planet has warmed 1.62°C compared to the decades between 1850 and 1900. The large-scale burning of coal, oil and gas has caused unprecedented warming of the globe. The tenth month of 2024 became the second warmest October of any documented year. Scientists observed an increase of 1.65°C in temperature compared to the period before the Industrial Revolution.
The phenomenon has begun to have effects on various ecosystems. The Copernicus report warns of a 19% decrease in certified Arctic sea ice extent in October. The extent of the frozen layers in that region reached its second lowest level for the season with an average drop of 8%.
Scientists explain that the situation has generated more intense rains in different regions. Europe has been especially affected. The recent episode of DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) in Spain is proof of this.
“Our civilization has never had to face a climate as hot as the current one. This inevitably pushes our ability to respond to extreme phenomena and adapt to a warmer world to the absolute limit,” emphasizes Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus.
Insufficient efforts to stop global warming
World leaders have committed to implementing measures and policies to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5°C by the end of the century. Various investigations show that efforts have been insufficient so far. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) presented the ‘2024 Emissions Gap Report’. The study indicates that current measures to curb the carbon footprint are insufficient.
GHG emissions grew globally by 1.3% during 2023. The increase is above the 0.8% recorded in the last decade. Scientists warn that humanity is increasingly further away from meeting the environmental commitments that would avoid a climate disaster.
Obtaining economic resources is another pending issue. UNEP estimates that the funding gap for climate change adaptation is between $194 billion and $366 billion annually. “The most effective solution to address climate challenges is a global commitment on emissions,” Buontempo emphasizes.
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, has said that at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), to be held next month in Baku, Azerbaijan, realistic and decisive national plans must be presented to counter the situation. “We are teetering on a planetary tightrope. Either leaders close the emissions gap or we are hurtling towards a climate disaster, with the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the most. The countdown to take action has begun,” he says.
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