2024: Earth’s Hottest Year Yet! Are We Nearing the 1.5°C Limit? 🌡️🔥

Hey friends! Have you noticed it’s been getting hotter lately? Well, 2024 has been the hottest year on record! 🌞 But what does that mean for us and our planet? Let’s dive in and find out!

What’s Going On With the Weather? ☀️🌧️🌪️

This year, temperatures around the world soared to new heights. Some places got so hot that they broke all-time records!

• Philippines: Temperatures hit 50°C (that’s 122°F!) even before May. Schools had to close because it was too hot! 🥵
• Mexico: Reached a scorching 52°C in June, matching its all-time high. 🌶️
• Egypt: Set a new record with 50.9°C. 🏜️
• Other countries like Chad, Ghana, and Laos also felt the heat like never before.

On July 22, the global average temperature was 17.15°C. That’s the hottest single day ever recorded on Earth! 🌍🔥

Extreme Weather Everywhere! 🌪️🌊🔥

Because of the rising temperatures, extreme weather events are happening more often. That means more floods, droughts, and wildfires.

• Floods: From Kathmandu to Dubai and Southern Appalachia, heavy rains caused floods that forced millions of people to leave their homes. 🌊🏠
• Storms: In Guangzhou City, China, a severe storm with tornadoes and hail led to 5 deaths and 33 injuries. ⛈️
• Wildfires: The Amazon rainforest and Pantanal Wetland faced terrible wildfires, harming many animals and plants. 🌳🔥

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said, “Our climate is collapsing, and the signs have never been clearer.” 🚨

Why Is This Happening? 🤔

The main reason is global warming, which is when Earth’s average temperature rises. But what’s causing it?

• Human Activities: Things we do, like driving cars, using electricity, and cutting down trees, release gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. These are called greenhouse gases. 🚗🏭🌳
• Burning Fossil Fuels: In 2024, we released a record 41.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) by burning coal, oil, and gas. That’s a lot! 😱
• Deforestation: Cutting down forests means fewer trees to absorb CO₂, making global warming worse. 🌲🚫

Even places like the Arctic are releasing more CO₂ because the frozen ground (called permafrost) is melting. That’s not good news! 🧊➡️💧

El Niño and La Niña: Weather’s Big Players 🌊🌬️

Another reason for extreme weather is something called El Niño and La Niña. These are natural events that happen in the Pacific Ocean.

• El Niño: When the ocean water gets warmer than usual. This can change weather patterns around the world. 🌡️
• La Niña: When the ocean water gets cooler than usual. This also affects global weather. ❄️

These events can cause more storms, droughts, or floods in different places. They’re like big weather influencers! 🌐

What Could Happen Next? 🌏❓

Scientists predict that Earth’s temperature will keep rising over the next decade. We might even pass the important 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement in 2015.

But what does the 1.5°C limit mean? It’s a goal to keep Earth’s temperature from rising more than 1.5°C above what it was before the Industrial Revolution (when machines and factories started using lots of coal and oil). Staying under this limit helps reduce the worst effects of climate change. 🌡️

Even small increases in temperature can make extreme weather events more likely and more severe.

Is It Too Late? Can We Still Help? 🌱💪

The good news is, we can still make a difference!

• Use Less Energy: Turn off lights when you’re not using them, and try to save electricity. 💡
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Use less stuff, find new uses for old things, and recycle whenever you can. ♻️
• Plant Trees: Trees help absorb CO₂. Planting trees can help fight global warming. 🌳
• Learn More: The more we know, the better we can help. Talk to your friends and family about climate change! 📚

United Nations Secretary-General Guterres reminds us that “climate disasters are harming health, exacerbating inequality, and undermining peace.” But together, we can work towards a better future. ✨

Conclusion 🌟

2024 has shown us that our planet is getting hotter, and it’s affecting everyone. But by understanding what’s happening and making changes, we can help protect Earth for ourselves and future generations. Let’s take care of our home! 🌍❤️

Reference(s):

Temperature breaks records in 2024: Are we at the threshold of 1.5?

cgtn.com