Global warming exceeds 1.5 C for first time

New Delhi, Feb 8

For the first time on record, global warming has exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius across an entire year, as reported by the EU’s climate service quoted by BBC.

This milestone, which surpasses the target set by world leaders in the 2015 Paris Agreement, underscores the urgency of tackling climate change.

Although this breach doesn’t violate the Paris Agreement outright, it brings the world closer to surpassing the agreed-upon limit in the long term. Scientists emphasize that urgent action to reduce carbon emissions can still mitigate further warming.

“This far exceeds anything acceptable,” remarked Prof Sir Bob Watson, a former chair of the UN’s climate body, in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. “Look what’s happened this year with only 1.5C - we’ve seen floods, we’ve seen droughts, we’ve seen heat waves and wildfires all over the world.”

The period from February 2023 to January 2024 experienced a warming of 1.52 degrees Celsius, according to data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. This trend is illustrated in the accompanying graph, highlighting the steady rise in global temperatures over recent years.

Furthermore, the world’s sea surface temperatures have also reached their highest ever recorded average, underscoring the widespread impact of climate change across various ecosystems and regions.