A series of dismal records marks the entry into uncharted territory. The year 2024 was the hottest on record since 1850, and the first to exceed the threshold of 1.5°C global warming compared to the pre-industrial era, according to the assessment of the European Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), published on Friday, January 10.

This fever pitch fueled a cascade of disasters, from Cyclone Chido in Mayotte to floods in Valencia, Spain; fires in Canada; and heatwaves in the United States. These extreme events sowed desolation and caused suffering, resulting in thousands of deaths, the destruction of ecosystems and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.

In 2024, the global average temperature was 1.6°C higher than in 1850-1900. The year beat the previous record set in 2023, by a margin of 0.12°C. Proof that climate disruption offers no respite, the last 10 years (2015-2024) are all the hottest on record.

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