January 31, 2025
21 C
Dhaka

2024 confirmed as Earth’s hottest year on record

It signals the first time the world has breached the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) warming limit established by the 2015 Paris Agreement.

After the late December warning by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in this regard, it has recently been confirmed that in 2024, global warming propelled Earth to its hottest year on record.

Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are the main cause of climate change.

This turning point, confirmed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) — European Union’s Earth Observation Programme — signals the first time the world has breached the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) warming limit established by the 2015 Paris Agreement.

A news report in May last year said Bangladesh experienced the longest heatwave in a single year this year, recording the highest temperature of the past five decades, causing the deaths of dozens of people from heat strokes.

In mid-May another report said the heatwave in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries became 45 times more likely due to climate change.

Extreme weather has swept around the world in 2024, with severe drought hitting Italy and South America, fatal floods in Nepal, Sudan and Europe, heatwaves in Mexico, Mali and Saudi Arabia that killed thousands, and disastrous cyclones in the US and the Philippines.

The floods in August in eastern Bangladesh, which left more than 70 dead, caused damage estimated at $1.20 billion, according to a study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a leading think-tank.

On December 30, the WMO in a statement said the development could cap a decade of unprecedented heat fuelled by human activities.

The C3S finding is not just another statistic; it marks a defining moment in our struggle to curb rising temperatures.

The global treaty seeks to curb the escalating impacts of climate change, but nature seems to be racing ahead and ignoring our best-laid plans.

Cutting emissions to net zero – as many governments have pledged to eventually do – will stop global warming from getting worse. Yet despite these green pledges, global CO2 emissions are set to hit a record high this year.

Scientists are also monitoring whether the La Nina weather pattern – which involves the cooling of ocean surface temperatures – could form in 2025.

That could briefly cool global temperatures, though it would not halt the long-term underlying trend of warming caused by emissions. The world is currently in neutral conditions, after El Nino – La Nina’s hotter counterpart – ended earlier this year.

2024 continues the warming trend

The year 2023 was already somewhat hotter – by about 0.3 degrees Celsius to be precise – than its predecessor, 2022.

“And 2024 continued that trend of being warmer than the previous year,” Kevin Grise, associate professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia told Earth.com.

Predicting future weather events

Professor Grise’s research is fuelled by an ambitious goal – to predict future weather events with greater precision.

This pursuit involves the use of intricate computer models that are designed to project the track of climate change based on current estimations. These models hold a mirror to the future, and reflect the potential consequences of a warming planet.

“A key focus is trying to understand whether we can confidently say these models are capturing the weather pattern changes experts say are going to happen in our changing climate,” noted Professor Grise.

Less relief from heat at night

Over his 11-year tenure at UVA, Grise has witnessed the global temperature tick upwards by approximately 0.5 degrees Celsius or about 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

His research highlights a shift in atmospheric dynamics and wind circulation patterns, altered by natural cycles and climate change.

For Virginia, the future may hold more heat waves as the climate continues its relentless change.

Professor Grise pointed out an often overlooked aspect of global warming – the nights are not as cool as they used to be.

“If people don’t have access to air conditioning, it becomes even harder for them to cool off on very warm nights,” he said.

Chaotic symphony of weather patterns

The global warming footprint is manifested in the rise of stronger hurricanes, extreme rainfall events, and fluctuating weather patterns.
For instance, Hurricane Beryl emerged as the earliest Category 5 storm in Atlantic history and the strongest to develop in June.

Meanwhile, the US city of Phoenix endured 113 consecutive days with a temperature hovering at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The year 2024 was also marked by 24 weather/climate disasters in the US, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion.

This calamitous lineup included 17 severe storms, four tropical cyclones, one wildfire, and two winter storms – which collectively caused at least 418 deaths.

Ocean heat waves and coastal challenges

Professor Grise has been keeping an eye on another side effect of climate change as well – ocean heat waves. These anomalies are disrupting marine habitats and fueling extreme weather events with unparalleled intensity.

“We’ve seen some unusual events that have huge impacts on ecosystems in the ocean and tropical systems. We saw the first ever Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin in June, and we saw [Hurricane] Milton hit Florida, which rapidly intensified within 24 hours – an almost 95 mph intensification,” said Professor Grise.

In coastal regions like Hampton Roads, rising sea levels and the potential for stronger hurricanes remain pressing concerns.

“The hurricanes that do form have the potential to get stronger than we would expect because the water temperature is warmer,” said Professor Grise. “The warmer air can have more water vapor in it, more humidity, and create even more extreme rainfall events.”

Consequences of a warmer world

Warmer temperatures and standing water also create ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed, potentially expanding habitats for insect-borne diseases.

This could lead to the spread of illnesses such as malaria, dengue fever, and chikungunya into new areas.

This year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November, focused heavily on climate finance.

Developed nations pledged to mobilize at least $300 billion per year by 2035, tripling the previous goal of $100 billion.

“From a policy perspective, the choices now are to focus climate mitigation and working to stop the emissions that are causing climate change or developing ways to adapt to a warmer world. Or a combination of the two,” concluded Professor Grise.

Latest News

Youth must lead the charge in climate action – VC SUST

Acting Vice-Chancellor of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology...

Concrete blocks offer hope amid Bangladesh’s Brick kilns pollution

Narayanganj – a district spanning 683 square kilometers with...

Stakeholder consultation workshop on draft National Urban Policy (NUP) 2025 held

The urban population in Bangladesh is expected to exceed...

A look into Riyadh, Global Drought Resilience Partnership

In partnership with UNCCD countries, international organizations, and other...

Climate finance a reservoir, but Sri Lanka lacks pipelines

Tackling governance gaps and missed climate finance opportunities at...
spot_img
spot_img

Editor's Choice

COP29: A step forward or a missed opportunity?

The UN climate summit ended on Sunday with a...

Nepal’s First GCF Project shining but hit by long processes

The family of Lalit Thapa from Dudhauli Municipality-3, Upper...

Urban flooding rises in Dili due to high rainfall intensity

Over the past 20 years, Timor-Leste has been experiencing...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Topics