January 2025 has shattered global temperature records, becoming the warmest January ever recorded. The average global temperature reached 13.23 degrees Celsius, surpassing pre-industrial levels by 1.75 degrees Celsius. This record-breaking heat surprised climate experts, who had anticipated a cooling effect from the La Niña phenomenon. Typically, La Niña is associated with cooler ocean temperatures and altered weather patterns, countering the warming effects of its counterpart, El Niño.
Despite the transition from El Niño to La Niña, temperatures continued to rise, defying expectations. This has raised concerns among scientists about the implications for global warming and its associated impacts, such as droughts, heatwaves, and severe flooding. The persistent heat has led to 18 of the last 19 months experiencing temperatures above the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set by the Paris Agreement.
The shift towards cleaner shipping fuels in 2020, which reduced sulfur emissions that previously reflected sunlight away from Earth, might have contributed to the acceleration of warming. As a result, scientists such as James Hansen predict intense competition between 2024 and 2025 for the title of the hottest year on record.
While some experts, like Gabe Vecchi and Michael Mann, argue that current temperature increases remain within climate model predictions, the surprising resilience of high temperatures during La Niña conditions highlights the urgency of addressing fossil fuel emissions. The global community remains committed to limiting warming, but these recent developments underscore the challenges ahead in meeting climate goals.
