A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirms that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with global average temperatures surpassing 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in a full calendar year. This warming, driven largely by record-high greenhouse gas concentrations and a strong El Niño, led to historic heat, melting glaciers, and shrinking sea ice at both poles. The WMO highlights that changes like sea-level rise and ocean warming are now locked in for centuries, posing escalating threats to ecosystems and human societies.

…2024 also saw the most severe three-year loss of glacier mass ever recorded and ocean heat content at its highest in 65 years

According to the WMO’s State of the Global Climate report, 2024 also saw the most severe three-year loss of glacier mass ever recorded and ocean heat content at its highest in 65 years. Extreme weather displaced more people than any time since 2008 and contributed to worsening food crises and economic devastation globally. The report underscores the urgent need for stronger climate action and expanded early warning systems, with only half the world currently covered by adequate protective measures.