An international coalition of 15,000 scientists led by Oregon State University scientists concludes in its annual report that the Earth’s worsening vital signs indicate a “critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis” and that “decisive action is needed, and fast.”

The collaboration outlines areas where policy change is needed – energy, pollutants, nature, food and economy – in “The 2024 State of the Climate Report: Perilous Times on Planet Earth,” published in BioScience. Of the 35 planetary vital signs the scientists use to track climate change annually, 25 are at record extremes. The three hottest days ever came in July 2024, and fossil fuel emissions are at an all-time high, as are human population and ruminant livestock population, the climate report shows. Human population is increasing at the rate of approximately 200,000 people per day, and the number of ruminant livestock – hoofed mammals such as cattle, sheep and goats that produce greenhouse gases and are energy intensive to raise – rises by roughly 170,000 each day. The annual consumption of fossil fuels climbed by 1.5% in 2023, mainly because of big jumps in coal (1.6%) and oil use (2.5%), the report indicates. Renewable energy use also increased in 2023 – solar and wind consumption together were up 15% over 2022. But the use of renewables is just one-fourteenth of fossil fuel use, and the recent rise in the use of renewables is attributable mainly to increased demand rather than because they are replacing fossil fuels. The report shows that annual tree cover loss globally rose from 22.8 million hectares in 2022 to 28.3 million in 2023, and based on global year-to-date averages, the concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane are at all-time highs. The scientists say their goal is “to provide clear, evidence-based insights that inspire informed and bold responses from citizens to researchers and world leaders.”

Links:
2024 State of the Climate Report: Urgent Call for Action

Wetenschappers: kritieke en onvoorspelbare fase klimaatcrisis breekt aan

#COP29 UN Climate Change Conference Baku – November 2024