January 2024 was recorded as the warmest January on record, with global temperatures 1.75°C higher than pre-industrial levels, according to new data from the European Copernicus climate service.
This temperature was 0.1°C above the previous record set in January 2023. This comes after 2023 saw temperatures surpass the critical 1.5°C mark, which is the target for climate negotiations, for the first time.
Scientists were initially puzzled, as changes in Pacific ocean currents (La Niña) were expected to moderate rising temperatures. However, the warming trend continued unabated.
Dr. Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, warned that the accelerating pace of climate change is increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events. She pointed to the recent wildfires in Los Angeles as a stark example of the dangerous level of warming, predicting that 2025 would likely see even more unprecedented weather events.
The surge in temperatures is largely attributed to the continued burning of fossil fuels, including oil, gas, and coal. Bill McGuire, emeritus professor at UCL, described the situation as “astonishing and frankly terrifying,” noting that the global temperature has remained above the 1.5°C threshold for 18 of the last 19 months. He emphasized that climate breakdown is now unavoidable, citing devastating events like the Valencia floods and the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles as clear evidence of the growing crisis.
In the UK, the effects of rising temperatures are already being felt, with more intense rainfall increasing the risk of surface flooding. The Environment Agency revealed that 4.6 million properties in England are now at risk of flooding, a 43% increase from previous estimates.
Adapting to these changes will be costly, and the UK government recently announced a £2.65bn investment over two years to strengthen flood defences and protect an additional 52,000 homes and businesses. However, this funding represents only a small fraction of the properties at risk.