Overview

• Global temperatures in 2023 reached unprecedented levels, nearing 1.5°C above preindustrial averages, with 2024 possibly exceeding this threshold.
• Researchers identified a 0.2°C warming gap that could not be explained by greenhouse gases, El Niño, or other known factors alone.
• A study by the Alfred Wegener Institute attributes the gap to a decline in low-altitude clouds, which reflect sunlight and help cool the planet.
• Planetary albedo, a measure of Earth's reflectivity, hit its lowest point since at least 1940, exacerbating global warming trends.
• The findings suggest that global warming may be accelerating faster than anticipated, potentially reducing the carbon budget needed to meet Paris Agreement targets.