The Paris Agreement, a landmark global pact forged at the 2015 UNFCCC COP21 in Paris, faces a grave threat as global temperatures surge past the critical 1.5°C threshold in 2024. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that the past decade (2015–2024) has been the warmest on record, with 2024 likely being the first calendar year to breach the 1.5°C mark above pre-industrial levels.
Signed by nearly 200 nations, the Paris Agreement aims to keep global temperature rise well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C to reduce climate risks. Yet, rising greenhouse gas emissions have driven an extraordinary streak of record-breaking temperatures, leading UN Secretary-General António Guterres to call for “trail-blazing climate action” in 2025 to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
According to WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, the temperature spike has been accompanied by extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and accelerated ice melting—all fueled by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Saulo emphasized that exceeding 1.5°C for a single year does not signify the failure of long-term Paris Agreement goals but underscores the urgency of intensified climate action.
Ocean heat content has emerged as a critical factor in this temperature rise. A study led by Prof. Lijing Cheng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that 90% of excess heat from global warming is stored in the oceans. “The ocean is the warmest it has ever been, both at the surface and up to 2,000 meters deep,” the report states.
WMO’s six international datasets show 2024 as the warmest year yet, though methodologies vary. Long-term global warming is now assessed at approximately 1.3°C above the 1850–1900 baseline, highlighting the narrow window to act.
Guterres urged governments to submit revised national climate action plans and bolster support for vulnerable communities facing severe climate impacts. “Blazing temperatures demand bold responses,” he said, reinforcing the need for global unity in tackling the climate crisis.
