Facts for UPSC Mains
State of Global Climate Report 2024
- 20 Mar 2025
- 2 min read
Why in News?
According to the State of Global Climate report 2024 of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), global warming is nearing the 1.5°C Paris Agreement threshold.
What are the Key Findings of the Global Climate Report?
- Current Warming Levels: Global warming stands at 1.34–1.41°C above pre-industrial levels, with 19 of the last 20 months surpassing the 1.5°C threshold.
- The world could surpass the 1.5°C threshold by September 2029.
- Extreme Weather Events: In 2024, record displacements from cyclones, floods, and droughts worsened food crises, while heat waves hit East Asia, Southeast Europe, the Mediterranean, West Asia, and the southwestern US.
- Carbon Dioxide Levels: In 2023, atmospheric CO₂ reached 151% of pre-industrial levels, the highest in 800,000 years.
- Cryosphere Decline: Arctic sea ice hit record lows for 18 consecutive years, while Antarctic sea ice saw its 2nd-lowest extent in 2024.
- Irreversible Impacts:
- Ocean Warming: 2024 saw the highest ocean heat content in 65 years, with warming rates doubling since 1960.
- Sea Level Rise: Global mean sea level reached a record high, with rates doubling from 2.1 mm/year (1993–2002) to 4.7 mm/year (2015–2024).
- Glacier Melt: The period 2022–2024 recorded the most negative glacier mass balance, with significant losses in Norway, Sweden, Svalbard, and the tropical Andes.
- Ocean Acidification: pH levels are declining rapidly, particularly in the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and equatorial Pacific, with irreversible effects over centuries.
What is the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)?Click Here to Read: World Meteorological Organization (WMO) What is the Paris Agreement?Click Here to Read: Paris Agreement |
