Los Angeles: Earth's average surface temperature in 2024 was officially the warmest on record, according to a detailed analysis conducted by NASA scientists.

Global temperatures in 2024 rose 1.28 degrees Celsius above NASA's 20th-century baseline (1951–1980). The record-breaking heat followed 15 consecutive months (June 2023 to August 2024) of unprecedented monthly temperature records, marking an extraordinary streak, as reported by NASA.

Estimates show that Earth in 2024 was approximately 1.47 degrees Celsius warmer than the mid-19th century average (1850–1900). For much of the year, average temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above the baseline. This threshold, considered a critical marker in climate change discussions, may have been surpassed on an annual average basis for the first time, according to NASA's analysis, which factors in mathematical uncertainties.

"Once again, the temperature record has been shattered — 2024 was the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880," stated NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. He highlighted the urgency of addressing climate change, pointing to its tangible impacts, such as the record-breaking heat and wildfires threatening NASA centers and personnel in California.

The warming trend over recent decades has been linked to heat-trapping greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Notably, 2022 and 2023 saw record-breaking increases in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, as per an international analysis. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have surged from pre-industrial concentrations of approximately 278 parts per million in the 18th century to around 420 parts per million today.

This record-breaking year underscores the growing need for global climate action as the impacts of climate change become increasingly evident.