May 2024: The Hottest Ever, Climate Crisis Intensifies

In May 2024, Earth experienced the hottest May on record. Data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) revealed that the global average temperature was 0.65°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.52°C above pre-industrial levels.

This marked the 12th consecutive month where global temperatures set records for their respective months. Over the past 12 months, the global average temperature was 0.75°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.63°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial levels.

The UN Secretary-General, citing C3S data, called for urgent action. The World Meteorological Organization warned that we are approaching the climate thresholds set by the Paris Agreement. It is projected that between 2024 and 2028, global average temperatures will be 1.1°C to 1.9°C higher than pre-industrial levels.

The pace of global warming has reached a historic high, increasing by 0.26°C per decade. The remaining carbon budget, which is the amount of CO2 that can be emitted before causing global warming of 1.5°C, is only about 200 gigatons, equivalent to five years of emissions.

Climate change data casts a clear and unforgiving shadow, much like the harsh sun. We stand at a historical turning point, with each degree of warming posing a challenge to our future. The time for action is now, or we risk being unable to reverse this trend.