“Taiwan’s average temperature in 2024 will be the highest since 1897,” a state forecaster said.
Taiwan announced on Tuesday that this year was the hottest since record-keeping began 127 years ago, with unprecedented temperatures around the world.
Climate change caused extreme weather and record heat around the world in 2024, fueling natural disasters that caused billions of dollars worth of damage.
As of Sunday, Taiwan’s annual average temperature was 24.97 degrees Celsius (76.95 degrees Fahrenheit), a new record high, beating the previous record of 24.91 degrees in 2020, according to the Central Weather Bureau.
“Taiwan’s average temperature in 2024 will be the highest on record since 1897,” state forecasters said in a statement.
However, it warned that despite the global warming trend, “average temperatures will be relatively low and there is a possibility of extreme cold waves” over the next two months.
Taiwan announced on Monday that it has increased its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target by up to 30% from 2005 levels by the end of 2010.
The previous goal was a reduction of up to 25%.
“With the development of offshore wind power and renewable energy, we are confident that we can achieve this goal in 2025,” Environment Minister Peng Chiming told reporters.
A diagram showing the number of extra days of dangerous heat (which can increase mortality) compared to a world that is not warming due to human activity, according to a report from World Weather Attribution.
The United Nations announced on Monday that next year will be the hottest year on record, ending a decade of unprecedented heat.
Global warming is primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, which not only causes temperatures to rise, but also by the ripple effects of excess heat in the atmosphere and oceans.
Warmer air can hold more water vapor, and warmer oceans allow for more evaporation, resulting in more intense downpours and storms.
The effects are widespread and deadly, with increasing damage, damaging property and destroying crops.
This year has seen deadly floods in Spain and Kenya, multiple severe storms in the United States and Philippines, and severe drought and wildfires across South America.
In October, Taiwan’s strongest typhoon in decades hit the island, uprooting trees and causing flooding and landslides.
In October, Taiwan’s strongest typhoon in decades hit the island, uprooting trees and causing flooding and landslides.
Taiwan is used to frequent tropical storms from July to October, but the island’s weather bureau said it was unusual for such a powerful typhoon to strike so late in the year.
Zurich-based insurance giant Swiss Re has announced that natural disasters around the world caused economic losses of $310 billion in 2024.
© 2024 AFP
Source: Taiwan announces 2024 was the hottest year on record (December 31, 2024) From https://phys.org/news/2024-12-taiwan-hottest-year.html December 31, 2024 get to date
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