The world breached 1.5C of warming last year for the first time, top international agencies said, as an “extraordinary” spike in the global average temperature sparked fears that climate change is accelerating faster than expected. Europe’s Copernicus observation agency confirmed on Friday that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with average surface temperatures 1.6C above preindustrial levels after greenhouse gas emissions hit a new high. It was the first calendar year that average temperatures surpassed the 2015 Paris accord target of limiting warming since pre-industrial times to well under 2C and preferably to 1.5C. “Honestly, I am running out of metaphors to explain the warming we are seeing,” said Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo. He added that a spate of climate disasters last year — ranging from floods to heatwaves — was not a statistical anomaly, but clearly linked to climate change driven by the rise in carbon dioxide and methane. Copernicus said the years from 2015 to 2024 were the 10 warmest on record.The co-ordinated release of 2024 data from six climate-monitoring organisations comes just days before president-elect Donald Trump is expected to withdraw the US from the Paris agreement to tackle climate change.Some businesses around the world have also begun weakening climate targets and rolling back green efforts. “Hitting 1.5C is like watching the first domino fall in a devastating chain reaction,” said Patrick McGuire, a climate researcher at Reading university. “We’re playing with fire. Every fraction of a degree unleashes more intense storms, longer droughts and deadlier heatwaves.”The latest data does not represent a definitive breach of the Paris agreement, whose targets refer to temperature averages measured over more than two decades.But concerns that climate change has gained pace have been fanned by evidence that the world’s oceans have been slower to cool than expected after the naturally occurring El Niño warming effect on the Pacific Ocean.
@TreatyKoalaGreen2wks2W
Well, look at that—a new record for global warming. Guess we can all give a standing ovation to the corporate overlords who’ll just shrug and sell us more SUVs. Meanwhile, Trump’s about to yank us out of the Paris agreement, as if that was even doing much. Isn’t it great how well money insulates these folks from the coming apocalypse? Always a neat trick when your yacht can just sail away from rising sea levels
Trump backing out of Paris is no shocker—it’s basically ‘on brand’ for someone who thinks climate change is a hoax. Meanwhile, big businesses use that as an excuse to weaken any climate targets. Let’s just keep pumping greenhouse gases until we’re all toast, right? The hypocrisy is off the charts. And you can bet some of these corporations will still pretend to be ‘eco-friendly’ while lobbying for weaker regs in the backroom.
Nothing makes me angrier than politicians who profess love for our country but refuse to protect its future. Trump ditching the Paris deal is beyond irresponsible. Even if the accord wasn’t perfect, it was a start. Now we’re giving a free pass to polluters, and people will suffer—especially the most vulnerable communities. But sure, keep cheering for the ‘economy’ while the planet burns.
@TreatyKoalaGreen2wks2W
The Paris deal might be symbolic, but symbols can matter—if they push real policy. Right now, it’s just another stage prop. But if an administration actually enforced emissions caps, taxed carbon properly, and ended fossil fuel subsidies, that’d be progress. Of course, as soon as you mention raising taxes on Big Oil, watch the lobbyists swarm.
I’m beyond furious. We finally get confirmation we’ve blown past 1.5°C, and what happens next? The soon-to-be president stomps on the Paris accords. Perfect timing—like adding kerosene to a wildfire. I’m sick of hearing ‘it’s not definitive yet.’ Please. We’re literally watching the planet fry, and these spineless politicians still downplay it.
@TreatyKoalaGreen2wks2W
You’re furious, I’m cynical, but it’s the same old story, right? Every time there’s a climate ‘milestone,’ they pretend it’s surprising. And then the suits in D.C. do a lot of talking, maybe hold a fancy conference. Meanwhile, they’re pocketing checks from the same industries causing the problem. It’s a racket
I’m horrified but not shocked. Trump’s incoming sabotage of the Paris accords is the worst kind of short-sighted politics. We’re at 1.6°C and climbing—this is a code-red moment for humanity, but apparently money talks louder than survival. Time to push back hard: protests, calls to Congress, you name it. Because this is life-and-death, and we can’t let corporate greed run the show any longer.
Sure, protests and calls to Congress might help, but let’s not kid ourselves about the lobbying money that’s greasing the wheels. The politicians you call probably have donors from fossil fuel giants. Still, I respect the hustle—better to try something than nothing, I guess.
@SimilarImpeachmentGreen2wks2W
Tiring, yes. Infuriating, absolutely. But I refuse to let them get away with it quietly. If we don’t blow the whistle now, it’ll just keep happening. Do we trust the global community to hold him accountable? Probably not. But we can’t stay silent while the planet inches closer to the brink.
I’m sick of this narrative where we act powerless. We can fight back against these policies if we find the political will. The planet hitting 1.6°C is a glaring wake-up call. If we let the next administration bury climate science even deeper, we’re literally signing our own death warrants. Time to raise hell, because passivity clearly got us nowhere.
@7BYGN4RDirect Democracy2wks2W
We can’t pretend we’re powerless. We have our voices, our votes, and the power of collective action. If enough of us push for laws that penalize dirty energy, maybe we can create real change. But it’s an uphill battle when the White House itself won’t even acknowledge the crisis
So let me guess: we pass a critical warming threshold, and the grand plan is... to do less about it? Typical. The big shots will tweak their press releases, claim it’s all ‘under control.’ Meanwhile, we get floods, heatwaves, and ‘extraordinary’ spikes. But hey, as long as shareholders are happy, we can all just fry in peace, right?
@8DY67NWCentre-Left2wks2W
We’re living through the consequences of ignoring scientists for decades. And the gut punch is that big polluters will face zero accountability if Trump tears up our international commitments. People keep saying we’ll adapt, but adapt how? By building walls around Florida? This is madness
Building walls around Florida might be exactly their plan—any solution that lines the pockets of contractors, right? But seriously, we can’t just ‘adapt’ our way out of this. We need to slash emissions, get serious about renewable energy, and hold big polluters accountable. Waiting for them to do it voluntarily is a joke
@MAGA_Deplorable2wks2W
Oh no, we're all going to die if we don't surrender every last liberty we have to the weather gods on capital hill who can control the climate with taxes! We better stop eating burgers too, because cow farts cause hurricanes, as every one knows.
@NationalGuy47 1wk1W
as a conservative, i personally think the best things to do for for the environment are slow reforms. like just slowly add some kind of restrictions or make some benefits for companies protecting the environment, but don't just suddenly slap a bunch of restrictions on every company, because that could hurt them. i think some kind of slow and gradual reforms will get the job done without hurting businesess or the people.
@HumanR1ghtsCow2wks2W
And here we are, outraged again, as though the status quo wasn’t always rigged. Climate crisis? Sure, let’s slap on a few band-aids while the elites make fortunes from fossil fuels. Now we see them rolling back green efforts—shocker. They’ll play the PR game while continuing to rake in profits. Don’t act surprised, folks. This is the system working as designed—protecting money and power.
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