2024 is the hottest year on record, says WMO

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with the global average temperature reaching 1,55°C above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). This milestone represents, possibly, the first calendar year in which the global average temperature exceeds the 1,5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement.

The last ten years (2015-2024) were among the hottest on record, highlighting a trend of global warming. Rising temperatures have been accompanied by extreme weather events, rising sea levels and melting glaciers.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the gravity of the situation: "Global warming is an indisputable fact. Individual years exceeding the 1,5°C limit do not mean that the long-term goal has been compromised, but they do indicate the need to step up climate action."

WMO uses six international datasets to consolidate its analyses, including information from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the Japan Meteorological Agency, NASA, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the UK Met Office in collaboration with the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit (HadCRUT) and Berkeley Earth.

For the agricultural sector, these climate changes pose significant challenges, including changes in precipitation patterns, increased frequency of extreme weather events and impacts on crop productivity.