Earth’s Temperature Keeps Rising
The planet has just reached another troubling milestone. Over the past 12 months, the Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.58°C compared to the time before factories and cars began adding greenhouse gases to the air in the 1800s. This period, known as the “pre-industrial era,” is the benchmark used by scientists to track global warming.
This number is far above the safer limit of 1.5°C set by nearly 200 countries in the Paris Agreement. Although this target is meant to be measured over a long-term period of about 20 years, experts are concerned. The temperature has gone over the 1.5°C mark for 21 out of the past 22 months. That shows the planet is heating quickly and consistently.
In April alone, the global average temperature hit 14.96°C °c. This was only slightly cooler than April 2024, the hottest April ever recorded. These temperatures are not just numbers. They represent big changes happening all around the world.
Extreme Weather Events Are Increasing
As the Earth gets hotter, strange and dangerous weather is becoming more common. Just last month, many parts of the world experienced unusually wet conditions. Areas like the Alps in Europe, parts of the U.S. Midwest, and large regions in northern Australia and central South America were hit by heavy rains. These rains caused floods, landslides, and even avalanches, bringing damage to homes and communities.
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Meanwhile, surface temperatures in many regions were far higher than normal. Eastern Europe, parts of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Norway all saw hotter-than-usual weather. West-central Asia and parts of Australia also experienced this heat. These temperature spikes are not just uncomfortable—they can hurt crops, melt glaciers, and increase the chances of wildfires.
Scientists had hoped that a natural event called “La Niña” would help cool the planet. La Niña is a weather pattern that can lower global temperatures for a short time. But this time, La Niña didn’t last. It ended quickly, and the Pacific Ocean returned to a neutral state, offering little relief from the warming.
Greenhouse Gases Keep Climbing
One of the biggest drivers of global warming is greenhouse gases. These gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Human activities such as burning coal, oil, and gas release these gases into the air.
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Recently, methane levels have reached near-record highs. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that holds more heat than carbon dioxide, even though it doesn’t last as long in the atmosphere. Much of this methane is coming from fossil fuel production, especially natural gas.
Global efforts to reduce emissions are facing difficulties. Governments around the world are also dealing with other issues like economic problems, national security, and trade disputes. These challenges are slowing down progress on climate action.
A top official from the United Nations recently said that, if the world keeps moving in the same direction, we are headed toward a 3°C rise in global temperature. This would bring far more severe weather, rising sea levels, and greater harm to both people and nature. Without the Paris Agreement, the world could have been on track for a rise of up to 5°C.
The current numbers show that the Earth is heating faster than many expected. While some agreements and actions have helped slow down the worst-case scenarios, they are not enough to stop the dangerous rise in temperature that we’re already seeing.
