World Heats Up: Humans Triggering Record Temps

Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, are undeniably driving a rapid increase in global temperatures. This warming is fundamentally altering weather patterns, with each decade since the 1980s being warmer than the last. The year 2024 marked a critical threshold, becoming the hottest on record and exceeding 1.5C of warming above pre-industrial levels.

The consequences of this climate change are already severe, manifesting as extreme weather events. For instance, increased occurrences of hot, dry conditions have amplified the risk of devastating wildfires, with the Los Angeles fires of January 2025 estimated to cost over $100 billion. Furthermore, droughts, like the one in East Africa in 2022, have been made at least 100 times more likely by climate change, threatening millions with hunger.

Scientists warn that exceeding 1.5C of warming will bring far greater impacts, potentially triggering irreversible "tipping points" such as ice sheet collapse. While nearly 200 countries have pledged to limit warming to 1.5C under the Paris agreement, current emission rates suggest this target could be breached around 2030. Despite efforts like renewable energy growth, global CO2 emissions remain at record highs, necessitating substantial intervention to avert warming approaching 3C by the century's end.