The 2024 state of the climate report: Perilous times on planet Earth was released on 8th October and makes for sobering reading. Read the full report at the journal here.

Key Points

• Climate change is an existential threat, with human activities causing unprecedented planetary change.
• We are witnessing record-breaking temperatures, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and melting ice.
• Fossil fuel emissions are at an all-time high, despite warnings from scientists for decades.
• The current trajectory suggests we will surpass critical climate tipping points, leading to irreversible damage.
• The consequences of climate change are already being felt worldwide, with increased heat-related deaths, floods, droughts, and wildfires.
• Climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations in the Global South.
• Urgent action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate.

Most Notable Insights:

• The scientific consensus is clear: human activity is causing dangerous climate change with potentially catastrophic consequences.
• We have passed the point of avoiding some impacts, but immediate action can still limit the damage.
• Climate change is a social justice issue, as wealthier nations contribute more to the problem but are less vulnerable to its effects.

Reference

1. William J Ripple, Christopher Wolf, Jillian W Gregg, Johan Rockström, Michael E Mann, Naomi Oreskes, Timothy M Lenton, Stefan Rahmstorf, Thomas M Newsome, Chi Xu, Jens-Christian Svenning, Cássio Cardoso Pereira, Beverly E Law, Thomas W Crowther, The 2024 state of the climate report: Perilous times on planet Earth, BioScience, 2024;, biae087, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae087