President Trump’s executive order formally withdraws the United States from the Paris Agreement, a 2015 accord committing nearly 200 nations to curbing global warming. This decision, defying overwhelming scientific consensus, ignores the escalating climate crisis evidenced by record-breaking temperatures in 2024. The agreement aimed to limit global temperature increases to 1.5-2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a goal now further jeopardized by this withdrawal. Critics argue the move demonstrates a disregard for both domestic and global consequences of climate change.
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Atmospheric CO2 levels surged to a record 3.58 ppm increase in 2024, exceeding predictions and driven by record fossil fuel emissions, diminished carbon absorption by natural sinks, and significant wildfire emissions. This rapid increase far surpasses the rate needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming target, as outlined by the IPCC. The 2024 increase in emissions, reaching 41.6 billion tonnes, further underscores the urgency of emissions reduction. While the projected increase for 2025 is slower, it remains insufficient to align with the IPCC’s climate goals.
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2024 marks the first year to exceed the symbolic 1.5°C global warming threshold above pre-industrial levels, according to Copernicus Climate Service data, making it the hottest year on record. This surpasses the previous record set in 2023 by over 0.1°C, highlighting a concerning trend of escalating global temperatures. While this does not represent a breach of the long-term 1.5°C target agreed upon in Paris, it brings the world significantly closer to that critical threshold. The increased warming is primarily attributed to human emissions of greenhouse gases, exacerbated by natural weather patterns like El Niño, underscoring the urgent need for emission reductions.
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The Arctic is changing, and these changes are deeply concerning. Scientists are observing dramatic shifts in the region’s ice and weather patterns, and these aren’t isolated incidents; they represent a cascading effect with global implications. The melting ice caps are a stark visual representation of the problem, and the implications extend far beyond just rising sea levels.
The lack of widespread, urgent action is baffling and disheartening. It feels as if the world is sleepwalking towards a precipice, lulled by complacency and a prioritization of short-term gains over long-term survival. The alarm bells should be ringing incessantly, yet the response has been muted, suggesting a profound disconnect between the urgency of the situation and the actions (or lack thereof) of those in power.… Continue reading
2024 is being declared the hottest year on record by EU scientists, a stark reminder of the escalating climate crisis. This isn’t just a new record; it’s a continuation of a trend, with each year seemingly surpassing the last. The sheer repetition of this announcement, year after year, highlights the urgency of the situation.
The disheartening reality is that this record-breaking heat is likely to be surpassed again in 2025, and the year after that, and so on. This isn’t a matter of scientific uncertainty; the data consistently points towards a warming planet. The question is no longer *if* temperatures will continue to rise, but rather how we, as a global society, will adapt and mitigate the consequences.… Continue reading
Over 450 polar researchers, including a significant number of early career scientists, recently released a statement emphasizing the urgent need for climate action in Antarctica. The statement highlights unprecedented changes, including record-low sea ice, extreme heatwaves, and ice shelf instability, threatening catastrophic sea level rise. East Antarctica’s melting ice sheet poses a particularly significant, yet uncertain, threat to global sea levels. The researchers call for immediate greenhouse gas emission reductions to avoid irreversible tipping points and protect coastal communities.
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Three leading research groups predict 2024 will surpass the 1.5C warming threshold set by the Paris Agreement, marking the warmest year on record and effectively rendering the target unattainable. This exceeds the already alarming trend of the past decade’s record-breaking temperatures, even with the decline of El Niño. While exceeding 1.5C in a single year doesn’t automatically break the agreement, scientists warn that continued inaction will lead to far more significant warming, potentially triggering catastrophic climate tipping points. Despite ongoing climate talks, current emission pledges put the world on track for a significantly higher temperature increase, highlighting the urgent need for drastic emissions reductions.
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Argentina’s President Javier Milei is considering withdrawing his country from the Paris climate agreement, a move that could further strain global cooperation on climate change. The decision is part of a broader review of international policy and follows Milei’s decision to recall Argentina’s delegation from the U.N. climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The potential withdrawal comes at a time when President-elect Donald Trump has also pledged to yank America out of the Paris agreement for the second time. While no other country followed suit when the United States initially withdrew under Trump’s first term, Argentina’s potential exit could set a dangerous precedent.… Continue reading
Using ice core data from Antarctica, researchers have established a new pre-industrial baseline for global warming, dating back to the period before 1700. This new method reveals that humanity has already caused 1.49°C of warming by 2023, meaning the 1.5°C threshold, a critical benchmark in climate change discussions, has effectively been reached. This updated baseline offers a more accurate measure of human-induced warming, reducing uncertainty compared to the commonly used 1850-1900 reference point. The researchers believe this new approach will provide a more robust and scientifically defensible basis for evaluating progress towards climate goals.
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Donald Trump’s election victory has sent shockwaves through the global climate community, as his previous anti-climate policies and rhetoric threaten to derail international efforts to curb global heating. Experts warn that Trump’s administration could withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement, undermine UN climate frameworks, and roll back domestic climate regulations, potentially adding billions of tonnes of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. While cities and states within the US are committed to climate action, a Trump administration’s stance risks weakening global climate diplomacy and further jeopardizing the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The climate crisis is moving faster than our politics, and the urgent need for political action on climate change is more apparent than ever.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood