AI Predicts Earth's Peak Warming as 2024 Becomes Hottest Year on Record

New research shows a 90% likelihood of unprecedented heat extremes even with rapid decarbonization, highlighting the urgent need for global adaptation efforts.

Stanford and Colorado State researchers used AI to project future warming scenarios, revealing a 90% chance that the hottest year this century will exceed 1.8°C above pre-industrial levels, even with aggressive emissions cuts.
The study underscores that limiting global warming to 1.5°C, a key Paris Agreement target, is now nearly unattainable, with a 50% chance of surpassing 2°C despite current decarbonization goals.
2024 has officially been declared the hottest year since records began, with extreme heatwaves, floods, and storms affecting billions worldwide and setting alarming new climate benchmarks.
Regions such as South Asia, the Mediterranean, and parts of Africa could face over 3°C of warming by 2060 under slower emissions reductions, exacerbating vulnerabilities in already at-risk populations.
Experts emphasize the need to prioritize climate adaptation alongside decarbonization, warning that infrastructure and preparedness must evolve to address increasingly severe climate extremes.