2024 was a record year for Luxembourg and the rest of the world
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The year 2024 has gone down in history as a year of climate records. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the annual average temperature was 15.1°C - 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels. This is the first time that the annual average temperature has exceeded the critical level outlined in the Paris Agreement.
In 2024, global temperatures surpassed all previous records. A temperature peak was recorded on 22 July, when the average temperature reached 17.16°C. From January to June, each month became warmer than all similar months in previous years. This was part of a 13-month period of record temperatures starting in July 2023.
Ocean surface temperatures reached a record high of 20.87°C, 0.51°C above the 1991-2020 average. The high temperatures were particularly noticeable in the North Atlantic and Western Pacific. This was due to the impact of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which increased ocean heating despite its end in the second half of the year.
In Europe, 2024 was also the hottest year on record. The average annual temperature was 10.69°C - 1.47°C above average. Spring and summer broke seasonal records, with summer temperatures 1.54°C above average. Extreme heat waves and heavy rainfall caused severe consequences for millions of people.
The year 2024 saw devastating weather events: hurricanes, heavy rains, droughts and wildfires. For example, the Americas faced record fires. In Bolivia and Venezuela, carbon emissions from wildfires peaked, and Canada experienced its second largest year of fires.
The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere reached record levels, increasing the frequency of heavy rainfall and contributing to the formation of tropical cyclones.
The volume of sea ice at both poles decreased to record values. In Antarctica, the ice cover from June to November was close to the historical minimum. In the Arctic, the ice extent was within the normal range until July, but then sharply decreased, reaching the fifth minimum value for the entire observation history.
Carbon dioxide concentrations reached 422 ppm (parts per million) and methane concentrations reached 1,897 ppb (parts per billion), the highest levels ever recorded. This is 2.9 ppm and 3 ppb above the 2023 levels. The increase in these figures indicates a continued increase in greenhouse gas emissions, despite global efforts to reduce them.
According to Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change Service, the 2024 records emphasise the need for urgent and decisive action: "The future is in our hands. Scientific evidence must be the foundation of climate policy." The European Commission takes a similar stance, stressing the importance of using satellite programmes to monitor changes and take adaptation and mitigation measures.
The 2024 records are a wake-up call that global warming is accelerating. Exceeding the 1.5°C threshold shows that the world is on a dangerous edge. Scientists are calling for immediate action to reduce emissions and adapt to new climate realities to avoid catastrophic consequences.
