The UN has declared 2024 the warmest year yet, marked by extreme weather events and record-high temperatures. With greenhouse gas emissions at unprecedented levels, the WMO reported severe weather incidents, including floods and heatwaves, causing significant global challenges. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged for urgent action to cut emissions and transition to renewable energy by 2025 to prevent further climate breakdown.
The United Nations has declared 2024 as a year marked by extreme weather and unprecedented heat, urging global leaders to redirect efforts away from a destructive path. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has reported record levels of greenhouse gas emissions and alarming temperature increases. Notably, the year is on track to be the hottest on record, surpassing even the high marks set in 2023. With intense heat waves, devastating floods, and massive tropical cyclones impacting communities worldwide, the UN emphasized the dire need for immediate action. In anticipation of the forthcoming full climate report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that countries must aggressively reduce emissions and transition to renewable energy in order to avert catastrophe. He asserted that 2025 is crucial for establishing a safer future against climate change.
Climate change has increasingly become a pressing global issue, with its effects being felt more acutely in recent years. The period from 2013 to 2023 recorded an alarming rise in global temperatures, marking it as the hottest decade in modern history. Consequently, weather patterns have become more unpredictable and severe, leading to disasters such as floods, wildfires, and storms. The 2015 Paris Agreement aimed to curb global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, but the ongoing rise in greenhouse gas emissions poses significant challenges to these goals. The role of international agencies such as the UN and WMO is vital in monitoring climate changes and pushing for global cooperation towards sustainable practices.
In summary, the year 2024 is poised to be a critical turning point in the context of climate change, as the effects of global warming manifest through extreme weather events and record high temperatures. Stringent measures to reduce emissions and adopt renewable energy sources are essential if the world is to steer away from a trajectory leading to disaster, as emphasized by the UN and WMO. Timely action, starting from 2025, is imperative for mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
