Hottest Year on Record: 2024’s ever-increasing carbon emissions

In January 2024, scientists declared the year 2023 as the warmest year on record. While this should be a wake-up call to hit the brakes on carbon emissions, the progress has been worryingly slow, leading to yet another record-breaking temperature for 2024.

Ever-Increasing Carbon Emissions

The issue of climate change has been one of the world’s most urgent matters for years. Yet, despite the adoption of the global pledge to limit the rise in global temperature, greenhouse gas emissions are still soaring.

The World Meteorological Organization’s climate update report reveals that the concentration of three key greenhouse gasses (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) reached a record high in 2023. Methane emissions have the biggest increase of 165% compared to pre-industrial levels, followed by carbon dioxide (51%) and nitrous oxide (24%). Real-time data indicates that this trend will continue in 2024.

According to data recorded by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average temperature between November 2023 and October 2024 reached an estimated 1.62°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. The first 10 months of 2024 alone were 0.16°C hotter than 2023. This has established a quite clear indication that 2024 is on track to surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record.

Rippling Effects

When the weather becomes too hot, it does not only mean we need to crank up the air conditioner to the maximum capacity. It also triggers a chain reaction worldwide, especially in the natural environment.

For instance, rapid ocean warming has significantly contributed to rising sea levels and melting glaciers, raising the alarm for coastal communities. The WMO report notes that the global mean sea level rose twice as fast compared to previous decades, standing at 4.77 mm per year from 2014 to 2023. Meanwhile, glaciers lost 1.2 meters of ice in 2023, which equals to around five times the amount of water in the Dead Sea.

Other climate-induced disasters include droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires, all of which are occurring more frequently and more severely. Consequently, these extreme occurrences can worsen food insecurity, lead to massive displacement and migration, and undermine the overall progress toward sustainable development.

A Wake-Up Call

The current state of the climate clearly goes in the opposite direction of what is hoped to be achieved nearly 10 years after the Paris Agreement. However, this does not mean that all the efforts to reduce carbon emissions and limit global heating have been futile and all hope is lost.

“As monthly and annual warming temporarily surpass 1.5°C, it is important to emphasize that this does NOT mean that we have failed to meet the Paris Agreement goal to keep the long-term global average surface temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the warming to 1.5°C,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

More than anything, this should be a wake-up call for those in a position of power not to lose sight of the urgency of addressing climate change. Taking a decisive step to retire fossil fuels and optimize renewable energy, as well as stepping up the early warning system and disaster mitigation efforts, should be prioritized by stakeholders at all levels and sectors to make real changes.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma

If you find this content useful, please consider subscribing to Green Network Asia.

Your subscription will give you access to our interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral insights on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development across the Asia Pacific and beyond, strengthening your personal and professional development while supporting GNA’s financial capacity to continue publishing content dedicated to public education and multi-stakeholder advocacy.

Kresentia Madina

Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website | + posts

Madina is the Assistant Manager for Digital Publications at Green Network Asia. She graduated from Universitas Indonesia with a bachelor's degree in English Literature. She has three years of professional experience working on GNA international digital publications, programs, and partnerships particularly on social and cultural issues.