The hottest year in Earth's history has been declared, with scientists considering it a turning point.

Researchers from the Copernicus Climate Change Service have officially confirmed that 2024 has become the hottest year on record. This announcement comes in the context of ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles—a disaster that experts believe has been exacerbated by climate change.

The unprecedented heat is primarily attributed to ongoing greenhouse gas emissions caused by human fossil fuel combustion. In fact, scientists assert that global warming will not cease or even slow down until humanity achieves net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, researchers believe that the urgency for humanity to rapidly reduce greenhouse gases has never been more critical.

It is noteworthy that the conclusions drawn by Copernicus researchers align with other leading global temperature datasets, further confirming that 2024 has become the hottest year since records began in 1850. The global average temperature in 2024 was approximately 1.6 °C higher than the average temperatures of the late 19th century.

Observations indicate that a new record high was reached on July 22, 2024, when the global daily average temperature hit 17.16 °C. Even more concerning is that every year in the past decade has ranked among the ten warmest years in recorded history. According to Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the world is currently on the brink of exceeding the 1.5 ºC threshold set by the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, the average global temperature over the past two years has already surpassed this level.

Observations also reveal that high average temperatures, combined with record levels of water vapor in Earth's atmosphere in 2024, have led to unprecedented heatwaves and heavy rainfall, causing suffering for millions of people worldwide.

Have We Lost the Battle for Earth's Climate?

The Paris Agreement aimed to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. If in 2024 the temperature was around 1.6 °C above pre-industrial levels, can we say that we have already lost this battle? Fortunately for humanity, the answer is no.

Researchers note that the success or failure of the Paris Agreement will actually be measured over longer temperature periods rather than just one year in the planet's history. This approach eliminates natural climate variability and factors such as El Niño and La Niña to create a clearer picture of climate change.

At the same time, scientists emphasize that the temperature record set in 2024 is a troubling sign.