Action window narrowing as 2024 sets weather record: Climate scientist

Bonn, Jan 10 (IANS) Time is running out to tackle the escalating climate crisis, and immediate, decisive global action is required to mitigate its worst impacts, warned Julien Nicolas, a senior climate scientist at the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

"We have to draw the consequences and continue to do everything we can to cut global greenhouse gas emission as quickly as we can," he said. "Every fraction of a degree matters. Each additional increment of warming brings more severe and widespread consequences."

The EU-funded C3S confirmed on Friday that 2024 was the warmest year globally since record began in 1850.

Nicolas attributed the record warmth to a combination of human-driven greenhouse gas emissions and natural climate variability, including a strong El Nino event. However, he stressed that "the long-term warming trend is primarily driven by human activities."

According to the European climate body, 2024 also marks the first calendar year in which the average global temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial level - a key threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement. The agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with an aspiration to cap it at 1.5 degrees by the end of this century.

"While the Paris Agreement refers to long-term averages, exceeding this limit in a single year is an alarming milestone," Nicolas said, adding that it signifies that humanity is inching dangerously close to sustained levels of warming that will bring more catastrophic climate consequences.

In 2024, extreme climate events were observed worldwide, with Europe being one of the hardest-hit regions.

"Because of its population density and the fact that it is one of the regions warming more rapidly than many other regions, Europe is affected by a range of climate changes that makes it more exposed to some impact of climate change," Nicolas said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua news agency.

Heatwaves, a hallmark of a warming planet, have become more frequent and severe. "Heat stress not only threatens lives but also disrupts food supply chains and damages ecosystems," Nicolas noted.

He highlighted the catastrophic flooding in Spain's Valencia, noting that "in some areas, more than a year's worth of precipitation fell within just a few hours," overwhelming even the best infrastructure.

"The flooding in Valencia shows the vulnerability of urban areas, particularly in dry Mediterranean climates, to extreme rainfall. Adapting cities and agricultural systems is essential to cope with these events," he said.

The scientist called for accelerated efforts to implement early warning systems, adapt infrastructure, and build resilience in urban and agricultural systems.

Looking ahead, Nicolas noted that global temperatures in 2025 may not surpass 2024 due to the diminishing influence of El Nino. However, he warned that extreme climate events will persist, as greenhouse gas emissions remain at record levels, and the long-term warming trend unabated.

Highlighting humanity's role in more frequent and severe climate extremes, he said that heat waves and extreme rainfall events will be likely in all continental regions. "The climate is warming rapidly, and the window for action is narrowing," Nicolas stressed. "The time to act is now."

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