Data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed that global average temperatures have now exceeded the key warming threshold for 12 consecutive months, raising serious concerns about efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

According to the data, the average global temperature for the period from January to June 2024 was 1.64 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average of 1850–1900. Last June was the hottest June on record, marking the 13th consecutive month of record-breaking average temperatures.

Experts warn that this record rise in temperatures is not just a passing phenomenon but a worrying indicator of ongoing climate change.

“This is not just a statistical anomaly, but a significant and ongoing shift in our climate,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, in a statement.

If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, Buontempo warns that we will “see new record highs” in temperatures, with the potential for more extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods.

These record numbers are a stark reminder of the urgent need for serious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement the 2015 Paris Agreement. The agreement seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and ideally to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Rising temperatures threaten not only human health but also food security and the global economy.

Governments, businesses, and individuals have a shared responsibility to work together to prevent further climate disasters and build a more sustainable future for generations to come.