The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned that the world is facing a continued state of intense heat, with 2024 set to be the hottest year on record. This alarming trend underscores a decade characterized as the “decade of deadly heat,” attributed to human activities and unsustainable greenhouse gas emissions, which are locking in further increases in global temperatures. Guterres stated, “I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat. The top 10 hottest years on record have happened in the last 10 years, including 2024” (The Guardian).

According to the WMO, the average global temperature between January and September 2024 was already observed as 1.54 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, incentivizing calls for urgent global collaboration to address the escalating risks posed by extreme heat. Celeste Saulo, the WMO secretary-general, emphasized that “every degree of warming matters and leads to increased climate extremes,” illustrating the critical need for enhanced international efforts to mitigate these effects (VOA News).

Guterres and Saulo's statements come alongside a U.N. Environment Program report, which predicts a rise in temperatures by approximately 3.1 degrees Celsius by the end of the century unless significant measures are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They highlighted the urgent necessity for countries to implement drastic cuts in emissions and foster a transition towards sustainable energy sources. Guterres asserted, “In 2025, countries must put the world on a safer path by dramatically slashing emissions” (The Guardian).

This year has already witnessed devastating events linked to climate change, including unprecedented rainfall, deadly floods impacting multiple continents, and severe drought conditions. The WMO noted that climate change played a critical role in intensifying 26 of the 29 extreme weather events studied in 2024, resulting in over 3,700 fatalities and millions displaced (VOA News).

As the world grapples with these challenges, Guterres emphasized, “This is climate breakdown, in real time,” calling for immediate global action. “We must exit this road to ruin, and we have no time to lose.” With the WMO slated to mark its 75th anniversary in 2025, officials assert that ongoing efforts will be crucial in monitoring the climate's state and working towards effective responses to combat the escalating crisis.