What is causing the Earth's temperatures to rise rapidly according to the IPCC?

The IPCC states that human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, are causing the rapid rise in Earth's temperatures.

What are the impacts of climate change, as seen in events like the Los Angeles fires?

Climate change increases the likelihood of extreme weather like the hot, dry conditions that fueled the Los Angeles fires in January 2025, causing immense economic damage.

Why is the 1.5C warming target from the Paris agreement so important?

Limiting global warming to 1.5C aims to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change and potentially irreversible 'tipping points'.

Home / Environment / World Heats Up: Humans Triggering Record Temps

World Heats Up: Humans Triggering Record Temps

14 Jan

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Summary

Human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels, cause rapid global warming.
The Earth surpassed 1.5C warming in 2024, with more warming expected.
Climate change exacerbates extreme weather like droughts and fires.

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.