World leaders committed in 2015 to try to limit the long-term temperature rise to 1.5C, which is seen as the threshold for avoiding the most damaging impacts.
Mark Poynting reports for BBC News.
In short:
- For the first time, global temperatures have exceeded the 1.5C limit set by the Paris Agreement for a full year, raising concerns about the future impacts of climate change.
- The breach, driven by human activities and exacerbated by natural phenomena like El Niño, addresses the urgent need for drastic reductions in carbon emissions.
- Despite the breach, scientists believe that with immediate action, the worst impacts of climate change can still be mitigated.
Key quote:
"Look what's happened this year with only 1.5C - we've seen floods, we've seen droughts, we've seen heatwaves and wildfires all over the world."
— Prof Sir Bob Watson, former chair of the UN's climate body.
Why this matters:
This development signals that the planet is entering a critical phase of climate change, with significant global health implications. Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods have already shown their devastating effects on communities worldwide.
