UN predicts up to 3.1°C global temperature increase by end of century

Proceeding from an article, Reuters unveils that a United Nations report released in October warns that under current climate policies, the world could experience a temperature rise of up to 3.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100. 

According to Chinese meteorological data, 2024 was the warmest year on record for the country since official records began over 60 years ago, marking the second consecutive year of breaking temperature records.

The national average temperature for 2024 was 10.92 degrees Celsius (51.66 degrees Fahrenheit), which is more than 1 degree higher than in 2023, as reported by weather.com.cn, a portal managed by the China Meteorological Administration.

According to the service portal, the ten warmest years since record-keeping began in 1961 have all occurred in the 21st century. For Shanghai, China's financial center, 2024 was the hottest year since the Qing dynasty, as reported by the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau. The city's average temperature reached 18.8 degrees Celsius, the highest since Shanghai began keeping meteorological records in 1873. The warmer weather last year, coupled with stronger storms and increased rainfall, contributed to a surge in power consumption in the world’s second-largest economy.

The extreme heat also impacted agriculture in areas such as the rice-producing southern regions. In response to the rising temperatures and to protect its food security, China has initiated research focused on adapting key crops to withstand heat. Without finding suitable alternatives, crop yields are anticipated to decrease. Researchers at a facility in Beijing discovered that potatoes, a crop for which China is the world's leading producer, weighed less than half of the typical varieties when grown in a chamber set 3 degrees Celsius above the normal temperature.

According to a United Nations report published in October, current climate policies could lead to global temperatures rising by as much as 3.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the year 2100.

By Naila Huseynova