Global temperature exceeds 1.5°C limit for the first time, and 2024 is the hottest year ever recorded
The climate crisis reached a new level in 2024. According to the latest report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), affiliated with the UN, the past year was the hottest in history since records began. The global average temperature was 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, surpassing for the first time the 1.5°C limit established by the Paris Agreement as a target to contain global warming.
The data is alarming. The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) reached the highest level in the past 800,000 years, sea levels are rising at an accelerated pace, and oceans are absorbing record amounts of heat. The impact is being felt across the planet, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe.
“The planet is on a dangerous trajectory, and the consequences of this rate of warming are already irreversible in some regions,” said Chris Hewitt, director of climate services at the WMO.
Global heatwave and impact on oceans
According to the report, the last ten years have been the hottest ever recorded, and 2024 broke all records. Ocean temperatures also reached the highest level in 65 years of observational records. Between 2005 and 2024, the ocean warming rate was more than double that observed between 1960 and 2005.
The rise in water temperature brings a series of devastating consequences:
- Loss of marine biodiversity – Coral bleaching, essential for marine life, has reached a critical level.
- Rising sea levels – The rate of sea level rise has doubled in the last 20 years, reaching 4.7 mm per year.
- More intense cyclones and storms – The extra energy in the ocean fuels more destructive hurricanes and typhoons.
For the scientific community, this phenomenon is already permanently altering climate patterns.
Extreme droughts and natural disasters on a global scale
The impacts of climate change are already being felt in a devastating way around the world. The year 2024 was marked by a series of extreme events, including severe droughts, more intense hurricanes, and historic floods.
In Manaus, the Rio Negro reached its lowest level on record, with the severe drought in the Amazon extending for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, in southern Brazil, excessive rains caused record floods, displacing thousands of families and causing billions of reais in damages.
Abroad, the scenario was no different. The United States faced one of the most destructive hurricane seasons in the last 50 years, while Europe experienced the worst heatwave in history, with temperatures exceeding 48°C in Italy and Spain.
“What we are seeing now is a direct reflection of the intensification of global warming. Weather conditions are becoming more extreme, and this has direct impacts on the economy, food security, and people’s lives,” said Celeste Saulo, secretary-general of the WMO.
Effects on the economy and food security
Climate change does not only affect the environment – its impacts are already being felt in the global economy. Agricultural production has been severely affected by droughts and floods, causing food prices to rise.
Studies from WWF-Brazil indicate that climate unpredictability is already compromising harvests in the country, with direct impacts on inflation. Sectors such as coffee, soy, and corn suffered losses of up to 30% in some regions due to abrupt changes in rainfall patterns.
The cost of natural disasters is also increasing. According to the UN report, economic losses related to extreme weather events exceeded US$ 250 billion in 2024, a 35% increase compared to the previous decade.
The question is no longer whether climate change will impact the global economy, but how devastating these impacts will be if there is no immediate and structured response.
COP30: Humanity’s challenge to contain the climate crisis
In light of this alarming scenario, pressure is mounting for global leaders to adopt more ambitious mitigation and adaptation measures. COP30, the UN climate conference to be held in November in Belém, is expected to be a decisive milestone for the implementation of new policies.
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, warned that the world is dangerously close to a point of no return, and that immediate action is crucial to avoid a catastrophic future.
“The time for debate is over. We need concrete actions to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy,” Guterres declared.
Experts emphasize that solutions involve ending fossil fuel subsidies, increasing investment in renewable energy, and strengthening policies for climate adaptation.
Brazil, with its vast biodiversity and leadership in bioenergy production, can play an essential role in this process. However, the country must move quickly in implementing policies to reduce deforestation, promote clean energy, and expand carbon capture projects.
What can we expect in the coming years?
The UN report is clear: global warming will not slow down without immediate action. Even in the most optimistic scenarios, the trend is that climate impacts will continue to increase over the coming decades.
What’s at stake is not just climate stability, but the survival of millions of people around the world. Humanity still has a window of opportunity to avoid the worst – but that window is closing quickly.
If the world does not act now, the consequences will be irreversible.
