Wildfires that blazed around the world in 2024 helped to drive a record annual leap in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, surprising scientists. The data shows humanity is moving yet deeper into a dangerous world of supercharged extreme weather.
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. The natural El Niño climate cycle also contributed, by delivering hotter and drier conditions in the tropics. A record rise would probably have occurred even without El Niño though, the scientists said.
, worsening the extreme heatwaves, storms and floods that affected billions of people. This meant the planet passed the 1.5C (2.7F) level agreed as a target by the Paris climate agreement for the first time. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, blamed the fossil fuel industry for pocketing profits while their products “wreak havoc”.
rise in 2025 is predicted to be lower, but still far above the level needed to be on track for 1.5C.
rises. “But even if it looks like we won’t meet the ambitious Paris goal of 1.5C, it is still worth making every effort to limit the rise. 1.5C is not a cliff-edge after which all is lost. There are lots of solutions already available without any new inventions. This must be extra motivation to work even harder.”
and blame political inaction.
in 2024, particularly in the Americas, and the climate crisis increased the severity and frequency of these fires. El Niño also played a part, but wildfires also raged after it had ended and in regions not affected by the climate phenomenon, such as Canada.
from the atmosphere.
rise in 2024 was double the 1.8ppm level consistent with a path to net zero emissions and limiting global heating to 1.5C, Betts said. It was also above the Met Office prediction for 2024 of 2.8ppm, probably the result of emissions from wildfires reaching Mauna Loa. The Met Office prediction for 2025 is 2.3ppm as El Niño’s opposite phase, La Niña, encourages more vegetation growth.
on his priorities for 2025, in which the climate crisis was a major theme.
“Who pays the price for climate destruction around the globe? Not the fossil fuel industry pocketing profits and taxpayer subsidies as their products wreak havoc,” he said. “Every day people suffer: with their lives and livelihoods; with higher insurance premiums, volatile energy bills, and higher food prices.”
“Today, governments around the globe spend nine times more making fossil fuels cheaper than they do on making clean energy more affordable for consumers,” blocking climate action, Guterres said. “We must tear down these walls.”
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