In 2024, the average annual global temperature anomaly officially surpassed the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold, marking a significant milestone in the planet’s long-term warming trend. Climate change researchers now suggest that the world has entered a phase of sustained warming, with drastic implications for global ecosystems and societies.
The temperature limit of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels set as a target by the Paris Agreement in 2015 was originally intended to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. However, almost every month in recent years has individually surpassed this threshold, signaling that the goal is now nearly impossible to meet.
Data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) revealed that the average global temperature in 2024 reached approximately 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, based on six different datasets. This marks one of the largest temperature anomalies in recorded history and confirms an accelerating trend of global warming.
Adding to this concerning trend, the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that 18 of the last 19 months recorded temperatures above the 1.5°C threshold. January 2025 alone reached a staggering 1.75°C of warming, despite the ongoing La Niña phenomenon, which generally has a cooling effect on global temperatures.
This sustained heatwave is attributed to a combination of global factors, including rising greenhouse gas emissions and increasingly warm ocean temperatures. The ongoing warming of the oceans, which store most of the planet’s excess heat, has intensified the severity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and heatwaves.
Climate experts warn that surpassing the 1.5°C limit could lead to irreversible damage to ecosystems, including the melting of polar ice caps, loss of coral reefs, and rising sea levels. Vulnerable communities in low-lying regions and small island nations are expected to face particularly dire consequences.
The report underscores the urgent need for global action to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Experts are calling for enhanced international cooperation to accelerate renewable energy transitions, promote carbon capture technologies, and implement stronger adaptation measures to protect vulnerable regions.
With Earth now in a phase of sustained warming, the scientific community stresses that immediate action is the only way to avoid further catastrophic consequences. The question remains: how quickly can the world mobilize to confront the reality of an overheated planet?