2024 has been recorded as the warmest year in the 175-year history of global temperature records, with average temperatures exceeding pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5°C.
This alarming revelation comes from the “State of the Global Climate Report” released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Wednesday.
Scientists warn that climate change is driving global temperatures and environmental damage to unprecedented levels, with vulnerable nations like Bangladesh feeling the impact.
Bangladeshi climate experts have expressed concern over the findings, emphasising that the extreme climate events of 2023-24 will have long-lasting impacts on the country.
They stress the urgent need for robust climate policies to mitigate further damage and protect the nation’s people and ecosystems.
Dr. Atiq Rahman, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, said, “Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Bangladesh is bearing the brunt of climate change. We are not receiving adequate global compensation for the losses we endure.”
Dr. Rahman called for a shift from polluting fossil fuels to cleaner energy alternatives, emphasizing the need for a homegrown climate strategy to safeguard the nation’s future.
Meteorologist Abul Kalam Mallik urged Bangladesh to prioritize afforestation, water source conservation, and carbon emission reduction.
“We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and adopt an integrated national policy to address the climate-related issues,” he said.
The WMO report, released ahead of World Glacier Day (March 21), World Water Day (March 22), and World Meteorological Day (March 23), paints a grim picture of the global climate crisis.
The year 2024 saw a record number of natural disasters linked to extreme weather events, including cyclones, typhoons, and heatwaves.
Rain, thunderstorms expected over 4 divs, says BMD
These events resulted in the highest number of displacements in 16 years, exacerbating food crises and causing massive economic losses worldwide.
The report reveals that every year over the past decade has ranked among the 10 warmest on record. In 2024, rising temperatures were accompanied by increasing sea levels, intensified ocean heatwaves, and record-breaking atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Scientists warn that the consequences of these changes could be irreversible for centuries or even millennia.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Our planet is sending distress signals. We must take effective action. There is an urgent need to develop opportunities for affordable, clean, and renewable energy for people and economies,” he said in the report.
The WMO report notes that the average global temperature in 2024 was 1.6°C higher than the pre-industrial era (1850-1900), a period before large-scale fossil fuel use and the associated carbon emissions that have accelerated global warming. While the Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the rise in temperature this year is a stark warning.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo cautioned, “Although a single year surpassing 1.5°C does not violate the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement, it serves as a stark warning that we are heightening risks to our lives, economies, and the entire planet.”
The report attributes the record-high temperatures of 2023 and 2024 to rising greenhouse gas emissions and the transition from a cooling La Niña phase to a warming El Niño. Other contributing factors include shifts in the solar cycle, a massive volcanic eruption, and a decline in cooling aerosols.
Beyond rising temperatures, 2024 saw increasing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, accelerating glacier melt, and Antarctic sea ice shrinking to its second-lowest extent. Extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and cyclones have exacerbated food shortages and caused significant economic losses globally.