The global temperature rise is expected to hit an average of 1.55C above pre-industrial levels this year, the latest data from the EU earth observation agency confirmed, making it “virtually certain” to be the warmest on record.
The forecast temperature rise in 2024 compares with a climb of 1.48C in 2023. It represents a temporary breach of the ideal goal of no more than 1.5C, which is enshrined in the Paris climate agreement, a value that is measured over decades rather than just a single year.
Last month was the second-warmest October on record, and the 15th in a 16-month period for which the global average exceeded 1.5C above preindustrial levels. The average sea surface temperature hit 20.68C, the second-highest value on record for October, Copernicus reported.