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This Island Is Selling Citizenship; Here’s Why

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is sounding the alarm: 2024 was the hottest year in recorded history, capping off a decade of record-breaking hottest years.

According to the WMO’s report, 2024 was likely the first calendar year in which global temperatures warmed more than 1.5°C (or 2.7° Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels – the critical threshold that experts believe represents the tipping point for our planet.

But it’s not just temperatures; The report underlined growing economic and social upheavals caused by extreme weather, reinforcing the need for urgent action.

Climate Chaos

The WMO’s annual State of the Global Climate report paints a dire picture: record-breaking heat, vanishing glaciers, rising seas, and a surge in extreme weather events that have left millions displaced and economies in turmoil. According to the report, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are at their highest level in 800,000 years, ocean heat content has reached unprecedented levels, the rate of sea level rise has doubled since satellite records began and the last three years have witnessed the most severe glacier mass loss ever recorded.

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If those consequences weren’t staggering enough, the report reveals each of the last ten years has ranked among the warmest on record, with 2024 setting yet another high.

The Human Toll

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The Path Forward

While the report found the shift from La Niña to El Niño played a role in 2024’s record-breaking heat, it also underscored that the dominant driver of climate change remains the unchecked rise of greenhouse gases.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the value of investing in clean energy and early warning systems to help communities better prepare for extreme weather. Currently, only half of all countries have adequate warning systems. “We are making progress but need to go further and need to go faster,” she urged.

Possibly the most important takeaway from the report: Headway is possible. Officials acknowledge that long-term climate goals spelled out in the Paris Agreement are still within reach, calling the latest research a “wake-up call” to prioritize climate action now before it’s too late. With collective efforts and decisive policies, experts say a more sustainable and weather-resilient future can be achieved.

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