Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
The Met Office, UK's national weather service, has issued a warning that the global average temperature might temporarily surpass the critical 1.5-degree Celsius mark as early as next year.
The forecast came during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, where world leaders are addressing the urgent need to tackle climate change.
The current year is on track to become the warmest ever recorded, and projections indicate that 2024 may set even higher temperature records.
The anticipated range for the average global temperature is between 1.34 degree Celsius and 1.58 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Global warming has shown an increase of 0.2 degree celsius per decade, contributing to the potential spike in temperature, along with the impact of a significant El Nino event.
Nick Dunstone from the Met Office emphasised that while a single year exceeding 1.5 degree celsius doesn't breach long-term average warming thresholds, it underscores the need for decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Nick Dunstone noted that such an occurrence would not violate the Paris Agreement's objectives, emphasising the importance of recognising temporary deviations.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has also supported these concerns, estimating this year's warming to be around 1.4C above pre-industrial figures, highlighting extreme weather events and ice loss as precursors.
Scientists, including those from NASA and Columbia University, have cautioned that the planet might cross the 1.5C threshold within this decade.
The COP28 summit has become a critical opportunity for nations to commit to more aggressive measures in combating climate change and preventing the long-term consequences of surpassing the 1.5C threshold.