The 2024 State of the Climate report, published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society and involving nearly 600 scientists from 58 countries, confirms that this year set new records across multiple climate metrics, including greenhouse gases, global temperatures, sea levels, and ocean heat.

In 2024, greenhouse gases such as CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide reached all-time highs, with CO2 at 422.8 ppm—representing a 52% increase since pre-industrial times—and the fastest annual growth rate since the 1960s.

Global temperatures in 2024 were the warmest on record, with sea surface temperatures at their highest in 171 years, driven by a strong El Niño event that started in mid-2023 and ended in spring 2024.

The Earth's water cycle intensified, making 2024 the third-wettest year on record, with extreme rainfall events, record high atmospheric water vapor, and increased risks of floods and droughts.

Sea levels continued to rise, reaching about 4 inches above 1993 levels for the 13th consecutive year, with oceans absorbing over 90% of Earth's excess heat, contributing to marine heatwaves and record-high ocean heat content.

The Arctic experienced its second-warmest year in 125 years, with significant heatwaves, early snowmelt, and the second-smallest maximum sea ice extent, while Antarctica's sea ice remained well below average, with record-low extents.

All 58 reference glaciers worldwide lost mass in 2024, marking the greatest ice loss in 55 years, including the extinction of Colombia's Conejeras Glacier and the disappearance of glaciers in Venezuela.

In 2024, the number of days experiencing high-humidity heat stress set a new record at 35.6 days, with 61% of land areas experiencing above-average 'strong heat stress' days, exacerbating health threats.

Despite efforts to reduce emissions, greenhouse gases continued to rise rapidly, emphasizing the urgent need for deep, sustained reductions in fossil fuel use and increased adaptation strategies.

The report highlights that high humidity levels reached record highs, with atmospheric water vapor, specific humidity, and total column water vapor surpassing previous records, which increased heat stress and health risks globally.

The report underscores the critical importance of high-quality global observations and scientific research to monitor Earth's changing climate and inform mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The climate impacts are consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C, ideally 1.5°C, as ongoing increases threaten to surpass these thresholds.