2024: Hottest Year on Record Marks a Decade of Climate Breakdown, Warns WMO

WMO will release its final global temperature figures for 2024 in January 2025, followed by the comprehensive State of the Global Climate 2024 report in March.

The year 2024 is set to be the hottest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), capping off a decade marked by unprecedented heat and devastating climate impacts driven by human activities.

“Today I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat,” stated UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his New Year message. “The top ten hottest years on record have all occurred in the last decade, including 2024. This is climate breakdown in real time. We must exit this road to ruin — and we have no time to lose.”

WMO will release its final global temperature figures for 2024 in January 2025, followed by the comprehensive State of the Global Climate 2024 report in March.

Record-Setting Events Highlight Urgency

Throughout 2024, climate change fueled extreme weather events globally. Among the highlights:

• Record-breaking rainfall and floods devastated communities across multiple continents, causing widespread loss of life and displacement.
• Tropical cyclones, including one in Mayotte, resulted in significant human and economic tolls.
• Heatwaves exceeded 50°C in multiple regions, intensifying health risks and economic strain.
• Wildfires burned vast tracts of land, destroying ecosystems and infrastructure.

According to a new report by World Weather Attribution and Climate Central, climate change intensified 26 out of 29 studied weather disasters in 2024, resulting in the loss of over 3,700 lives and displacing millions. The report, When Risks Become Reality: Extreme Weather in 2024, noted that climate change added 41 days of dangerous heat globally this year.

Global Initiatives for Adaptation and Mitigation

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the critical importance of immediate climate action. “Every fraction of a degree matters, increasing risks and worsening impacts. We must act collectively to build resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.

WMO is focusing its efforts on two major initiatives:

1. Early Warnings for All: Expanding global early warning systems to protect vulnerable communities from extreme weather events.
2. Global Greenhouse Gas Watch: Monitoring emissions to support mitigation strategies and international climate agreements, including the UNFCCC and COP.

In addition, 2025 has been designated the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, a joint effort by WMO and UNESCO to address the rapid melting of the cryosphere, including glaciers, sea ice, and permafrost.

International Collaboration on Extreme Heat

In response to rising heat risks, experts from 15 international organizations and 12 countries convened at WMO headquarters in December to develop a coordinated framework for addressing extreme heat. This effort aligns with the UN Secretary-General's Call to Action on Extreme Heat, aiming to safeguard public health and ecosystems.

WMO’s 75th Anniversary: A Call to Action

As WMO prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2025, it reaffirms its commitment to leading global efforts to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts. “If we want a safer planet, we must act now. This is our shared responsibility,” Saulo concluded.

The Path Ahead

The climate challenges of 2024 underscore the urgent need for enhanced international cooperation, robust climate policies, and immediate action. “The world must prioritize a transition to renewable energy and implement bold measures to dramatically cut emissions,” Guterres urged. “The time to act is now.”