** 2024: The dark year of ecosystems – the call for action in the face of a worrying future **
The year 2024 is engraved in the annals of climate history as a tragic year, that when all the health indicators on the planet have reached alarming levels. The latest report of the World Meteorological Organization (OMM) testifies indisputably: never global temperatures, carbon dioxide contents and the impacts linked to climatic disasters had been so worrying. Beyond the figures, this situation is not simply an anomaly, but a real alarm cry for humanity.
** A boiling planet: alarming statistics **
OMM’s report reveals that the overall temperature of the earth broke all records, reaching levels never observed over the past centuries. To better illustrate the severity of the situation, let us compare the temperatures from 2024 to those of previous decades. According to data compiled since the 1880s, every decade since the 1970s has recorded successively higher temperatures, but 2024 represents a significant leap, with an increase of approximately 1.5 ° C compared to the pre-industrial era. This figure, which might seem abstract, actually hides disastrous consequences: the accelerated melting of glaciers and polar caps, acidification of oceans and increasingly frequent and extreme climatic events.
But the increase in temperatures is only part of the equation. The report also highlights CO2 concentration levels in the atmosphere that exceeds 420 parties per million (ppm), a first for several million years. This dazzling increase is not limited to emissions linked to the combustion of hydrocarbons; It is accompanied by the deforestation and destruction of natural habitats, exacerbating the problem of greenhouse gases.
** Ecosystems in danger and displaced populations **
Beyond climatic indicators, OMM’s report highlights the dizzying number of displaced people caused by climatic disasters. Indeed, millions of people around the world have been forced to flee their homes following devastating cyclones, unprecedented floods or devastating forest fires. According to estimates, around 50 million people may become climatic refugees by 2030 if no significant action is undertaken to curb global warming.
This displacement of populations raises crucial questions on social justice and fairness, in particular in developing countries, which are often the most affected by these disasters, while having the lowest historical responsibility for the emissions of greenhouse gases. Discussions around “losses and damage” caused by climate change must therefore appear at the heart of international negotiations for fair climate justice.
** The need for reversal of trends: towards a global commitment renewed **
Faced with this worrying reality, it is imperative not only to embark on debates on the attenuation and adaptation mechanisms. The urgency lies in the implementation of concrete and systematic measures on a global scale. Governments must commit to reducing their emissions significantly, taking into account the commitments made during the Paris Agreements and the climate conferences.
However, the fight against climate change should not only be under the aegis of governments. Companies, local communities and citizens have a role to play. A transition to renewable energies, a restoration of ecosystems and the promotion of a circular economy are not simple chimeras, but solutions which can be implemented today.
** Conclusion: A call for collective action **
The fatal reality of 2024, the dark year of climatic indicators, should not be perceived as fatality, but rather as a catalyst for action. Scientific evidence is now indisputable, and it is time that each individual, each community, and each nation find the means to contribute to the transition to a lasting future. Climate change is a global threat that requires a collective response, a reflection of our shared humanity.
It is imperative that the alarm cry issued by the figures and testimonies of the people affected by climatic disasters is heard and that the action follows. Each gesture counts, each decision made today has repercussions for future generations. So, while we are thinking about the future, we must wonder: what will we do to prevent the dark years from becoming the norm?