Global warming surpasses crucial 1.5C mark for an entire year

World leaders committed in 2015 to try to limit the long-term temperature rise to 1.5C, which is seen as the threshold for avoiding the most damaging impacts.

Mark Poynting reports for BBC News.

In short:

For the first time, global temperatures have exceeded the 1.5C limit set by the Paris Agreement for a full year, raising concerns about the future impacts of climate change.
The breach, driven by human activities and exacerbated by natural phenomena like El Niño, addresses the urgent need for drastic reductions in carbon emissions.
Despite the breach, scientists believe that with immediate action, the worst impacts of climate change can still be mitigated.

Key quote:

"Look what's happened this year with only 1.5C - we've seen floods, we've seen droughts, we've seen heatwaves and wildfires all over the world."

— Prof Sir Bob Watson, former chair of the UN's climate body.

Why this matters:

This development signals that the planet is entering a critical phase of climate change, with significant global health implications. Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods have already shown their devastating effects on communities worldwide.

www.ehn.org

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