Climate Change Impacts In 2024: WMO Highlights Urgent Need For Global Action Against Record Heat

The year 2024 has been marked by severe climate change effects, impacting everything from mountain tops to ocean floors. Communities, economies, and the environment are all feeling the strain. According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 2024 is on track to be the hottest year ever recorded, concluding a decade of extreme heat driven by human activities.

Greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, reaching unprecedented levels. This trend locks in more heat for the future. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated in his New Year message, "Today I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat. The top ten hottest years on record have happened in the last ten years, including 2024."

Guterres emphasised the urgency of addressing climate change: "This is climate breakdown — in real time. We must exit this road to ruin — and we have no time to lose. In 2025, countries must put the world on a safer path by dramatically slashing emissions, and supporting the transition to a renewable future." The WMO plans to release the final global temperature data for 2024 in January and its comprehensive State of the Global Climate 2024 report in March 2025.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted her concerns during her first year in office: "In my first year as WMO Secretary-General, I have issued repeated Red Alerts about the state of the climate," she said. She noted that WMO will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2025 with a strong message about global responsibility for a safer planet.

Saulo stressed that every fraction of warming matters as it increases climate extremes and risks. "Temperatures are only part of the picture. Climate change plays out before our eyes on an almost daily basis in the form of increased occurrence and impact of extreme weather events," she added.

This year witnessed unprecedented rainfall and flooding across many nations, resulting in significant loss of life and community devastation worldwide. Tropical cyclones inflicted severe human and economic damage, notably affecting Mayotte in the Indian Ocean. Numerous countries experienced intense heat waves with temperatures exceeding 50°C multiple times, while wildfires caused widespread destruction.

Initiatives for Climate Adaptation

The escalating severity of weather events underscores the importance of initiatives like Early Warnings for All. This initiative supports climate service development and delivery as part of WMO’s efforts towards climate adaptation. On mitigation efforts, WMO is advancing its Global Greenhouse Gas Watch initiative while supporting UNFCCC and COP activities.

The focus will shift significantly towards cryosphere studies in 2025 due to UNESCO and WMO's designation of it as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. This includes examining frozen parts of Earth such as sea ice, ice sheets, and permafrost.

The ongoing impacts highlight an urgent need for collective action against climate change. As temperatures rise globally, addressing these challenges becomes increasingly critical for safeguarding our planet's future.

With inputs from WAM