The world has just experienced its hottest 12-month period on record, with global average temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. This milestone, confirmed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, coincides with the UK government's announcement of a new climate resilience push aimed at protecting infrastructure and communities from the accelerating impacts of a warming planet.
The data, released this morning, shows that the period from February 2023 to January 2024 saw global temperatures 1.52°C above the 1850-1900 baseline. While a single year above 1.5°C does not breach the Paris Agreement goals which are measured over decades it is a stark indicator that the planet is on an unsustainable trajectory. Sea surface temperatures also reached unprecedented levels, with the North Atlantic averaging 1.0°C warmer than any previous year.
Dr Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus, described the findings as a "a stark warning of the urgency of action". The warming is not uniform. In Europe, winter temperatures were 1.4°C above the 1991-2020 average, with Scandinavia seeing anomalies of more than 4°C. Meanwhile, Arctic sea ice extent in January was 5% below average, continuing a long-term decline that weakens the Earth's reflectivity and amplifies warming.
The UK response comes as the country recovers from Storm Isha and Storm Jocelyn which caused widespread flooding and power outages. The new resilience package allocates £200 million for flood defences, £50 million for heatwave preparedness, and funding for research into drought-resistant crops. The government also announced a National Climate Resilience Board to coordinate cross-departmental efforts.
However, scientists warn that adaptation alone cannot address the root cause. Professor Sir David King, former chief scientific advisor, stated: "We are in a race against time. The UK's net zero by 2050 target is necessary but not sufficient. We need a wartime level of mobilisation to phase out fossil fuels this decade." Indeed, global carbon emissions from energy rose 1.1% in 2023 led by China and India.
The physical reality is that every fraction of a degree of warming intensifies extreme events. The 1.5°C threshold, once considered a safe limit, is now more accurately described as a danger zone. The UK's climate has already warmed by 1.2°C since the industrial revolution, with seven of the ten wettest years on record occurring since 2000.
What does this mean for the average Briton? More frequent and severe heatwaves, flooding, and storms that will test infrastructure designed for a different climate. The government's resilience plans are a welcome first step but must be matched by aggressive emission cuts. The physics of the atmosphere does not bargain.
In the coming weeks, I will be reporting on the viability of technological solutions such as direct air capture and solar geoengineering. But for now, the data is clear: we are in a state of calm urgency. The planet's fever is rising, and the prescription requires a global response that recognises the interconnectedness of our systems.
As I have said before, climate change is not a future problem. It is the present condition of our world. The choice before us is whether we manage its escalation or let it manage us.
