On October 12, 2024, the 2024 State of the Climate Report was published in the journal BioScience, highlighting a global climate emergency. An international coalition of scientists, led by William Ripple and Christopher Wolf of Oregon State University, tracks 35 planetary vital signs, revealing that 25 of these indicators are at record extremes.
The report notes that the three hottest days ever recorded occurred in July 2024, and fossil fuel emissions have reached an all-time high. Annual fossil fuel consumption increased by 1.5% in 2023, driven primarily by significant rises in coal and oil use.
Current data shows that the Earth's average surface temperature, ocean acidity, heat content, and average global sea level are at unprecedented levels. Additionally, Greenland and Antarctica ice mass, as well as average glacier thickness, are at historical lows. Global tree cover loss escalated from 22.8 million hectares in 2022 to 28.3 million in 2023.
The report also highlights the severe impact of climate change, including multiple climate-related disasters over the past year, such as heat waves in Asia that resulted in over a thousand fatalities and temperatures soaring to 50°C (122°F) in parts of India. Millions have already been displaced due to climate change, with projections suggesting that hundreds of millions, or potentially billions, could be affected in the future.
In conclusion, the report emphasizes the urgent need to reduce ecological overshoot and implement large-scale climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies to prevent further damage. It warns that decisive action is essential to protect the natural world and ensure a livable future for generations to come.