Global Climate Highlights 2024, Copernicus Report: 2024 officially the Hottest Year on Record

According to the Global Climate Highlights Report 2024 by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), 2024 has gone down in history as the warmest year on record globally, marking the first time the average global temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Notably, if temporary, this breach does not void the Paris goal of 1.5°C, as that is generally considered to be an average of several years, but this alarming milestone, though anticipated, sends a sobering message about the escalating impact of human-induced climate change. Below we discuss the highlights from the report that reshape the climate narrative. 

2024’s global average temperature reached 15.10°C (1.60°C) above pre-industrial levels (1880). This new record broke the previous high set in 2023 and highlighted an alarming trend: each of the last ten years is now among the warmest on record. For 11 months of the year, global temperatures consistently surpassed the critical 1.5°C threshold. July 22, 2024 marked the hottest day ever recorded, with a global average of 17.16°C, underscoring the unprecedented heat levels. 

The world’s oceans absorbed much of this excess anthropogenic heat, with 2024 recording an annual average sea surface temperature (SST) of 20.87°C, the highest in history. The North Atlantic and Indian Oceans specially experienced record-breaking heat with significant implications for global climate systems, ecosystems, and human livelihoods. While the El Niño event played a role in these anomalies, the underlying driver remains greenhouse gas emissions. The number of insured losses from climate disasters fueled by atmospheric and ocean heat totalled $140 billion (136 billion euros) over the past 12 months, making 2024 the third-highest total since 1980. 

Europe experienced its hottest year on record, with an average temperature of 10.69°C, 1.47°C above the 1991–2020 reference period. Spring and summer were extreme, with temperatures exceeding seasonal averages by more than 1.5°C. The continent faced unprecedented heatwaves, placing immense pressure on communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure. 

The total atmospheric water vapour in 2024 reached record levels, about 5% above the 1991–2020 average. Combined with soaring temperatures, this created heightened heat stress conditions worldwide. Around 44% of the globe experienced “strong” to “extreme” heat stress conditions, peaking on July 10, 2024. These conditions not only jeopardized human health but also strained agricultural systems and water resources. 

Polar regions faced significant challenges, with Arctic sea ice extent dipping below average after July and the Antarctic sea ice extent setting record or near-record lows for much of the year. These losses signal a worrying trend, with implications for global sea levels and ocean currents impacting coastal ecosystems and communities. 

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels reached 422 parts per million (ppm), a 2.9 ppm increase from 2023, while methane (CH4) concentrations climbed to 1897 parts per billion (ppb). These levels underscore the urgent need for decisive action to mitigate emissions and stabilize the climate. 

This evidence-based summary serves as an alarm for us to relook at how we as a global society further shape the climate narrative. We need swift, global mitigation and adaptation strategies to secure a sustainable future. Carlo Buontempo, Director of C3S, emphasized the responsibility humanity holds: “The future is in our hands. Swift and decisive action can still alter the trajectory of our future climate.”

Feature image: Number of days in 2024 with strong heat stress, Credit: C3S/ECMWF

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