United Nations (TDI): World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a Geneva-based UN agency, has said that the year 2024 is set to be the warmest on record, capping a decade of unprecedented heat fueled by human activities.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated, “In my first year, I have consistently issued repeated Red Alerts regarding the climate crisis.” This year we witnessed record-breaking rainfall, floods and devastating loss of life across multiple countries, bringing heartbreak to communities worldwide.”
“Tropical cyclones led to a terrible human and economic loss, most recently in the French overseas department of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean. Intense heat scorched dozens of nations, with temperatures reaching 50°C on a number of occasions. Wildfires wreaked devastation,” Saulo said.
Her remarks foreshadowed the expected findings of WMO’s formal consolidated global temperatures report for this year, due to be published in early January.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his New Year message that the world has just endured a decade of deadly heat. The last 10 years, including 2024, are the top hottest years on record.
He solemnly emphasized, “We must abandon this path to destruction and we have no time to waste.”
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Throughout 2024, a series of reports from the WMO community underlined the fast pace of climate change and its far-reaching impacts on every aspect of sustainable development.
Record-breaking rainfalls were documented as well as devastative flooding, scorching heat waves with temperatures surpassing 50°C, and devastating wildfires.
