By Anders Lorenzen

Globally the heating of the world seems to have no end in sight as April 2024 becomes the warmest April ever recorded since records began.

It sets an additional new unwelcome record and trend with the past 11 months being the warmest of those months ever recorded. 

The European Union’s (EU) climate change monitoring service Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has revealed the unwelcome temperature records.

For the past 12 months, April included, the world’s temperature was the highest on record measuring 1.61 degrees C, and above the scientifically crucial climate threshold of 1.5 degrees C.

Tipping point reached?

The impacts of temperature records include record-breaking sea surface temperatures prompting some scientists to speculate if we have breached a tipping point in the climate system.

The latest scientific data has made some scientists question whether it is still possible to have 1.5 degrees C as a target. Officially it has not yet been breached as it would need to average more than 1.5 degrees C for more than 12 months though it does critically threaten it.

On a global level as the world is still increasing the burning of fossil fuels – the main culprit of climate change the temperature increases is only heading one way and that is up and it is unthinkable that we anytime soon will see it dip below 1.5 degrees C. Additionally the continuation and the increasing deforestation rates globally which releases CO2 from the atmosphere, the failure to switch to less intensive farming methods and the limits of the oceans to store CO2 makes the challenges an uphill struggle.

At the end of this year, world leaders, policy makers and scientists will gather in Baku, Azerbaijan for COP29, to outline the next steps and push for further ambition in the United Nations (UN) climate change framework. Azerbaijan is a major oil and gas producer and exporter.