This research, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, provides the first statistically significant evidence that global warming is not just continuing, it is speeding up. Researchers removed the influence of natural climate variations to show that the recent increase in temperature is real and persistent.
According to the study, if temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, the world is likely to exceed the 1.5°C global warming limit established under the 2015 Paris Agreement by the end of this decade.
This threshold is considered crucial because surpassing it would greatly increase the risks of extreme weather, rising sea levels, and long-term damage to ecosystems and human societies.
Scientists emphasize that the main driver of this rapid warming is human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and trap heat. Global fossil fuel consumption and emissions have both reached record levels, mainly contributing to the recent acceleration in warming.
The study also notes that the past 11 years have all been the warmest on record, with the three most recent years among the hottest ever observed. This trend underscores the urgency of reducing carbon emissions and shifting toward cleaner energy sources in order to limit future warming and avoid the most severe consequences of climate change.
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