Signal Global surface temperature up about 1.3 degrees; last ten years the warmest

Summary

According to the report, the global average surface temperature is now about 1.3 degrees Celsius higher than in pre-industrial times. The decade from 2015 to 2024 contains the ten hottest years ever recorded. The report attributes this warming to greenhouse gases released by human activity such as burning coal, oil and gas and altering land use. These gases trap heat that would otherwise escape to space, acting like a blanket around the planet. As temperatures have climbed, extreme weather including heavy rainfall and heatwaves has become more frequent and severe. The report warns that without rapid emission cuts, 1.5 degrees of warming will probably be reached by the early 2030s.