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Climate and environment

Problem

2024 was the first calendar year above 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels

Published: 10 January 2025

What happened

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024 was the hottest year on record, with a global average temperature of around 1.60 °C above pre-industrial levels.

Breaching the Paris Agreement target is, however, assessed over long periods: a single year above 1.5 °C is a significant signal, not proof of a stable breach.

Why it matters

It is a very important signal of the direction of the climate system and helps distinguish a single exceptional year from the long-term average warming.

What we know — and what we still don't

We know

  • 2024 is the hottest year in the available observational records.
  • The 1.5 °C target refers to long-term averages, not a single year.

Sources

To understand it better

In Depth