1.5 degrees
Newsletter
Credit: Dzmitry Dzemidovich/Big Stock Photo
Earth stays above 1.5°C warming for a year
Earth's average temperature remained 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for a full year, signaling ongoing and severe climate shifts.
In short:
- Earth's average temperature stayed above 1.5°C for 12 consecutive months, the first such occurrence in recorded history.
- Scientists stress that this 12-month period does not mean the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit has been breached, as that target is based on longer-term averages.
- Climate experts warn that, without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, more temperature records will be broken, and long-term warming trends will continue.
Key quote:
"This is more than a statistical oddity and it highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate."
— Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Why this matters:
This sustained warmth has far-reaching consequences. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, wreaking havoc on communities and ecosystems. Rising temperatures also accelerate the melting of polar ice, contributing to sea-level rise that threatens coastal cities and island nations.
In short:
- Earth's average temperature stayed above 1.5°C for 12 consecutive months, the first such occurrence in recorded history.
- Scientists stress that this 12-month period does not mean the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit has been breached, as that target is based on longer-term averages.
- Climate experts warn that, without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, more temperature records will be broken, and long-term warming trends will continue.
Key quote:
"This is more than a statistical oddity and it highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate."
— Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Why this matters:
This sustained warmth has far-reaching consequences. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, wreaking havoc on communities and ecosystems. Rising temperatures also accelerate the melting of polar ice, contributing to sea-level rise that threatens coastal cities and island nations.
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Newsletter
Credit: Dimitris Vetsikas/Pixabay
Heatwave blankets the globe, raising climate concerns
The Earth has experienced a continuous 12-month period of temperatures 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, according to new data.
In short:
- Between July 2023 and June 2024, global temperatures were the highest on record, 1.64C above pre-industrial times.
- Scientists warn of increased exposure to extreme weather and potential climate tipping points due to sustained high temperatures.
- Key climate metrics indicate a worsening trend unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced.
Key quote:
"This is inevitable unless we stop adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans."
— Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service
Why this matters:
Sustained high temperatures lead to severe weather events and threaten ecosystems, especially tropical coral reefs. Without significant emission reductions, global warming could exceed critical thresholds, exacerbating human and environmental harm.
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Photo by Danting Zhu on Unsplash
Mind the gaps: how the UN climate plan fails to follow the science
The U.N. climate conference in Dubai agreed on a plan to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees C and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But researchers are warning that these pledges are not grounded in sound science and will fail to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
Global heating will pass 1.5C threshold this year, top ex-Nasa scientist says
James Hansen says limit will be passed ‘for all practical purposes’ by May though other experts predict that will happen in 2030s.
Photo by Louis Maniquet on Unsplash
What's next in the carbon and climate conversation
With 1.5 degrees as our North Star, what tangible actions are needed to achieve that goal, what’s standing in our way, and how do we get everyone - especially the ones that have not taken action - on board.
Photo by Wes Warren on Unsplash
UN: World set to blow through 1.5C carbon budget in 10 years
Under current climate plans, the world will pump out enough greenhouse gas in the next ten years to take global warming above 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, a United Nations report shows.
Newsletter
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
'Doomerism': Why scientists disagree with Biden on 1.5 C
Joe Biden's comments are raising concern among scientists who say the president risks adding to public confusion about the dangers of surpassing the 1.5 C threshold, an event that is expected to occur in about a decade.
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