Global Temperatures Surpass Paris Agreement 1.5°C Threshold, Urgent Action Needed
Global temperatures have reached unprecedented levels, with the 12-month average through April 2025 standing at 1.58°C above pre-industrial levels, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. This marks a significant milestone, surpassing the 1.5°C threshold established in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels.
April 2025 was recorded as the second-hottest April on record, with an average temperature of 14.96°C, which is 1.51°C above the 1850–1900 average. This ongoing warming trend has been observed in 21 of the past 22 months, indicating a consistent rise in global temperatures.
Professor Richard Allan, a climate scientist at the University of Reading, warned that breaching the 1.5°C goal now seems inevitable, leading to intensified weather extremes. He emphasized the need for rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of society to limit the global temperature rise to 2°C.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell cautioned that the planet is on a path to a 3°C rise, which would result in severe environmental and human impacts. He stressed that the Paris Agreement has already cut potential warming from 5°C, highlighting the importance of continued and enhanced climate action.
The surpassing of the 1.5°C threshold is likely to result in more frequent and severe weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and droughts. This data calls for a reassessment of current climate policies and the implementation of more aggressive emission reduction strategies.
The latest findings from the Copernicus Climate Change Service serve as a stark reminder of the accelerating pace of global warming. As the world surpasses critical temperature thresholds, the need for immediate and decisive climate action becomes increasingly imperative.
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