2024 Caps a Decade of Record-Breaking Heat [Video]

In a message ahead of the new year, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that 2024, which is expected to soon be confirmed as the hottest year on record, is just one of many record-breaking years for high temperatures over the past decade.

“Throughout 2024, hope has been hard to find. Wars are causing enormous pain, suffering and displacement. Inequalities and divisions are rife — fueling tensions and mistrust. And today I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat,” Guterres said. As part of his message, the secretary-general warned that the previous decade has broken records for extreme heat.

“The top ten 10 hottest years on record have happened in the last 10 years, including 2024,” Guterres continued. “This is climate breakdown — in real time. We must exit this road to ruin — and we have no time to lose.”

The World Meteorological …