DW
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2024 was the warmest year on record. Climate change is the cause of the increase in temperatures. The figures for the last 12 months are not very promising either.
The average global temperature has been 1.55 degrees Celsius (2.78 Fahrenheit) warmer than it was in 1900, compared to 1850. Never before have fossil fuels been used so extensively.
The current temperature has also surpassed the 2023 record.
Under the Paris Climate Agreement, governments pledged to keep global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels while also pursuing efforts to limit warming to well below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The average temperature of warming is measured over decades. Experts believe that there is reason for concern even if the Paris target is not exceeded in the WMO annual report. According to the report, the current long-term warming is between 1.34 and 1.41 degrees Celsius.
Researchers say carbon dioxide from fossil fuels is increasing our damage. According to them, carbon dioxide is accumulating more than in the past two million years.
According to WMO chief Celeste Saulo, this new information is of great concern for our lives, our economies, and, above all, the planet. According to the WMO report, the change in temperature in 2024 is due to the change from the cold La Niña to the warm El Niño. However, according to researchers, the increase in air temperature is actually only part of a larger change.
This warming is affecting the marine ecosystem. As a result, the biodiversity of the sea is decreasing. The carbon absorption capacity of the sea is decreasing. Similarly, sea storms are being created due to the increase in temperature. Fish are being harmed due to the increase in acidity in the water, which is affecting fishermen.
In addition, sea-level rise is affecting the normal life of coastal areas. According to statistics from 2023, 30 percent of the world’s total electricity production is generated by solar and wind energy.
Despite President Trump’s talk of using fossil fuels in the United States, the use of solar energy is growing in the country. According to data from last year, solar energy could meet seven percent of the country’s electricity needs.
The cost of using environmentally friendly energy has dropped significantly in the past few years. Despite this, scientists around the world are concerned.
After the WMO report was released, Stephen Belcher, chief scientist at the UK’s National Meteorological and Climate Service, said the world is not in good health. He added that if we are not careful, the likelihood of natural disasters such as floods or droughts will increase.
