2024 Marked a Decade of Record Heat

Last year was the hottest year on record, breaking the previous record hit in 2023, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Last year became the first on record with a global average temperature exceeding 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level. Ocean temperatures were also exceptionally high last year, influenced by the residual effects of the strong El Niño that peaked in late 2023 and higher-than-average or record-high temperatures in most ocean basins.

“Every additional fraction of a degree of temperature rise matters because it accentuates the risks to our lives, to economies, and to the planet […] We are making progress but need to go further and need to go faster, and we need to go together,” said Celeste Saulo, secretary-general WMO.

While heat-related mortality estimates for 2024 are not yet available, recent data show that 47,700 deaths in 2023 and 61,700 in 2022 were attributed to heat, according to World Health Organization data. Check out this article for more information on heat stress and how it is measured.