It’s official: 2024 has never been as warm on Earth as it is in 2024. It is also the first year that the most important limit from the Paris Agreement has been reached. Human-induced climate change is the main cause of the extreme temperatures.
It seemed to be heading that way at the end of last year, but the latest report from the European satellite service Copernicus now officially confirms the ‘milestone’ of warmest year. This means that 2024 breaks the previous record of 2023.
Since measurements began in 1850, it has not been this warm worldwide. On average, it was 15.1 degrees in 2024. The warmest day was July 22 with an average of 17.16 degrees. With the exception of Antarctica and Oceania, 2024 was the warmest year on every continent.
Europe is the fastest warming continent: it is warming at least twice as fast as the rest of the world. The continent also experienced its warmest year since records began in 2024, with its warmest spring and summer.
