2024: A Record-Breaking Year for Climate Change
The year 2024 has officially been recorded as the hottest in history, with global average temperatures surpassing 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels—a critical milestone, even when accounting for the El Niño phenomenon. Human-induced climate change contributed to an alarming increase of 41 additional days of extreme heat worldwide, further stressing ecosystems and communities.
In 2024, the world also witnessed the most extensive coral bleaching event ever recorded, devastating over 75% of reef areas across 74 countries, highlighting the vulnerability of marine ecosystems to rising ocean temperatures. Meanwhile, Arctic sea ice continued its decline, reaching near-historic lows, further underscoring the rapid pace of polar warming and its cascading effects on global climate stability.
