This year 2024 which is about to end will probably go down in history. Because it’s about to win the title of – albeit a little envied – the hottest year on record globally. Over the course of the year, the average temperature on our planet could exceed the symbolic threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above the industrial average for the first time. Ratification should come as early as January 2025.
But this year 2024 will also leave us with a number of other extremes recorded in the wake of anthropogenic global warming.
Record area of forest fires
To the forest fire, first. Because a record area of about 120,000 square kilometers of forest went up in smoke in one year. Too few trees to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) which we keep excreting in large quantities. Many toxic particles were scattered in me. the windthe wind and inhaled by local populations, exposing them to health hazards. But more CO2 These fires emit more into our atmosphere than any other wildfire season in recent decades.
There has never been so much CO2 in the atmosphere.
Speaking of BroadcastingBroadcasting Of greenhouse gases, in fact, they want to continue to increase. In 2024, they should reach 37.4 billion tons. A new record. Even if the evolution of +0.8% is more encouraging than about 3% per year in the first decade of this century.
All due to increased emissions from GazGaz FossilFossil Especially and The oilThe oil too. Every year, industry FuelFuel Fossil still invests more than $60 billion to find new resources. In 2024, investments in this sector – all investors combined – will be around 8,000 billion dollars!
Warming the oceans
The temperature of the oceans has also reached extremes this year. A new record was set in March 2024. The matterThe matterAll months combined: The world’s sea level averaged 21.07 °C. Extreme heat is dangerous for marine life. And who? PortPort A little more moisture in the air. enough to lead to unstable weather conditions, VentVent Violent and stormy rains. But also, limit the ocean’s ability to absorb CO.2 There is more than enough in our environment.
Another incredible event has been recorded on the Atlantic side. April 29, 2024 was the first day in 421 days that its temperature did not break a record. In the Mediterranean Sea, it was on August 15 that the surface temperature reached an unusual high of 28.90 °C.
Consequently, due to playplay In pursuit of thermal water, rather SourceSource At a constant rate of ice, sea level rise is also at its maximum.
Torrential rains for some, severe droughts for others
Another effect of ocean warming, esp StormStorm Which can be extreme. Thus the Philippines experienced a season. StormStorm 2024 simply extraordinary. No less than 6 cyclones in 30 days in the country. Sometimes several at once. Everything is now verified, powered by Global WarmingGlobal Warming Bushra
Late last October, Spain was hit by an episode of torrential rain. For example, the municipality of Chiva received over 400 liters of rain per square meter in less than 24 hours. All this unfortunately led to a large number of victims that have not been reported in Europe since 1967.
In contrast, the Amazon region experienced a period this year, 2024. DroughtDrought Unprecedented rivers have reached historic lows. For example, the Marira River in Brazil was 79 cm deep on September 9, 2024. This is 33 cm short of his record set in October 2023!
Temperature is dangerous to health.
To return to temperatures, note that in 2024, some regions have experienced extremes that are hard to imagine. India recorded it. Heat waveHeat wave The longest country experienced was several dozen days. The heatThe heat Extreme in a row. The temperature sometimes reaches 50°C.
Published work by researchers from Attribution of global climate In June 2024, it showed that, over the past 12 months, human-caused climate change has added an average of 26 days of extreme and dangerous heat—think, 90 percent of the temperatures observed between 1991 and 2020. With temperatures warmer than percent – what will happen there? Have been without a hot planet.
During the months of June, July and August, 50% of the world’s population experienced unusually high temperatures. And 25% throughout as well DurationDuration Among the results for summer 2024, the number of heat deaths is skyrocketing. The United States already set a record in the region in 2023 with at least 2,300 people dying prematurely due to high temperatures. The results for 2024 are expected to be even heavier.
Disasters that are becoming more expensive.
And finally, it could be the result of all these extremes recorded during the year 2024. The time between two disasters costing a billion dollars or more is only 12 days. In the 1980s, the average was… 82 days!
