As the next U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to pull the plug on support for measures designed to combat climate change, the latest Monthly Climate Bulletin by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) confirms the sobering reality: 2024 is on track to become the warmest year on record.
C3S says it will also be the first calendar year where global average temperatures will be 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels – a key threshold that climate scientists say will lead to irreversible damage to the earth’s climate and ecosystems.
Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of C3S, emphasizes that “Ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever.”
Global Climate Change Records and European Impacts
The C3S says November 2024 was the second warmest November globally, surpassed only by November 2023. Temperatures were 1.62ºC above the pre-industrial average, marking the 16th month in 17 months with anomalies exceeding the critical 1.5ºC threshold. Additionally, Antarctic sea ice hit a record-low extent for November, down by 10% compared to the average.
In Europe, below-average rainfall persisted across western and central regions. Meanwhile, the Spanish Mediterranean endured heavy precipitation, continuing October’s severe flooding episodes. Greece, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe also recorded above-average rainfall, contrasting sharply with drought conditions in other areas.
Southern Mediterranean Concerns
For Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, these climatic shifts signal increased vulnerability. Prolonged droughts, punctuated by episodes of intense rainfall, disrupt agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure.
Global Implications and Call to Action
On account of the November data, the C3S reiterates the urgency of achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperature increases below 2ºC.
With the Mediterranean and Europe directly impacted by these shifts, leaders must somehow accelerate their strategies to combat climate change through renewable energy transitions, infrastructure adaptation, and international cooperation, despite the additional headwinds expected from the incoming Trump administration.
