WMO Confirms 2024 Was The Hottest Year On Record

United Nations weather experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed on Friday that 2024 was the hottest year on record, at 1.55 degrees Celsius (C) above pre-industrial temperatures. “We saw extraordinary land, sea surface temperatures, extraordinary ocean heat accompanied by very extreme weather affecting many countries around the world, destroying lives, livelihoods, hopes and dreams,” WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis said. “We saw many climate change impacts retreating sea ice glaciers. It was an extraordinary year.” Four of the six international datasets crunched by WMO indicated a higher than 1.5℃ global average increase for last year, but two did not. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo insists that “climate history is playing out before our eyes,” adding that the world has seen not only one or two record-breaking years but a complete ten-year series. For his part, UN  Secretary-General António Guterres described the WMO’s findings as further proof of global warming. In this regard, Guterres urged all governments to deliver new national climate action plans this year to limit long-term global temperature rise to 1.5C – and support the most vulnerable in dealing with devastating climate impacts. “There’s still time to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe. But leaders must act –...