In 2024, the global average temperature increased by more than 1.5°C, which is the threshold of global warming. Countries agreed with the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change, to limit global warming to 1.5°C, since above that is much more hazardous for our world. When this threshold is passed, there can be real-world implications such as floods or unexpected wildfires.
There have been various examples of the dangerous occasions that occur due to the passing of this threshold very recently. The latest and harmful one was the LA wildfires, which was a shock to people due to it happening in the middle of winter. Thousands of LA residents are not able to return to their homes due to the fire, and 25 people are known to have lost their lives. It is one of the deadliest fires ever to happen in LA, and the main reason for the huge size of the fire is global warming as it fed the fire and made it bigger. The rapid research from scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles clearly states the fires likely still would have occurred in a world without climate pollution, but it concludes they would have been smaller and less intense. As the report suggests, global warming made the fires 25% more intense compared to what it would normally be like.
But what caused 2024 to be the hottest year ever recorded? Scientists say it is due to the world's switch to the El Niño phase. El Niño and La Niña are powerful natural climate phenomena that shape weather patterns across vast regions of the planet. These events are part of a larger climate cycle, with El Niño typically bringing warmer global temperatures, while La Niña ushers in cooler ones. Their influence is profound, altering everything from rainfall patterns to ocean currents and leaving a noticeable mark on the global climate.
In mid-2023, Earth transitioned into an El Niño phase, a shift that persisted through the spring of 2024. This phase likely played a role in 2023 becoming a year of record-breaking heat. But as NASA scientist Gavin Schmidt points out, El Niño alone cannot account for all of the extreme warmth seen that year. The timing of events was unexpected. The year began in a La Niña state, which should have created cooler global conditions. Yet, despite this cooler phase, global heat records started falling as early as June.
This anomaly raises critical questions about the interplay between natural climate cycles and human-driven climate change. El Niño may have added fuel to the fire, but the intensity and timing of these temperature records suggest that there’s more at play. It’s a stark reminder of how human activity is amplifying natural climate patterns, pushing the Earth into unprecedented territory. These events are not just numbers or graphs—they’re a reflection of our planet’s changing reality, one that affects ecosystems, communities, and lives around the world.
As we crossed the global warming threshold in 2024, it marked more than just a statistic—it signaled a pivotal moment for humanity and our planet. This milestone serves as a sobering reminder of the impact our actions have on the Earth and the urgency with which we must address the climate crisis. Yet, within this challenge lies an opportunity to act, to innovate, and to come together as a global community. The story of climate change is still being written, and the choices we make now, both big and small, will determine the legacy we leave for generations to come.
