Climate Change
CRISIS – Viability of Life on Earthby Gauri Sharma
Global Commons
Dec 31st 202411 minsAs we bid farewell to 2024, Earth.Org takes a look back at the most significant climate news and events that shaped the year. From alarming environmental reports to key climate summits, join us as we recap the top climate headlines that made waves in 2024.—2024 is now “virtually certain” to become the hottest year ever recorded, beating 2023. It comes after several months of record-breaking temperatures, the hottest summer on record, and two back-to-back days of record-breaking daily global average temperatures.This alarming trend is attributed to human-induced climate change, compounded by natural phenomena such as El Niño.It is also the first year with temperatures expected to exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, a critical temperature limit established in the Paris Agreement. Recent data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service indicates that global temperatures have consistently breached this threshold, marking a significant milestone in temperature records. Researchers at World Weather Attribution (WWA) and Climate Central found that the average person experienced 41 additional days of dangerous heat fuelled by human-made climate change this year.The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are the primary drivers of global warming as they trap heat in the atmosphere, raising Earth’s surface temperature. Global fossil fuel consumption has more than doubled in the last 50 years, as countries around the world aim to improve their standards of living and economic output.In 2023, atmospheric concentrations of all three of the most potent greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – reached record highs. Because of their extremely long durability in the atmosphere, the world is now “committed to rising temperatures for many, many years to come,” said Ko Barret, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.Cleaners share handmade lemon tea while working in the New Territories. Photo: Kyle Lam/hongkongfp.com.Rising temperatures contribute to more frequent and severe weather events, including heatwaves and tropical cyclones, alongside melting ice caps and rising sea levels. These changes threaten ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as food and water security, human health, and economic stability.Read the full story.At the 29th UN climate summit (COP29) held last month in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators reached a controversial agreement to provide at least $300 billion annually in climate finance for developing countries by 2035. This pledge was intended to address the urgent needs of nations disproportionately affected by climate change. However, many developing nations expressed outrage, deeming the amount “insultingly low”