China experienced its warmest year on record in 2024, the country's meteorological agency reported, as the world grapples with escalating extreme weather driven by climate change.

As the largest emitter of greenhouse gases fueling global warming, China has pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

The national average temperature for 2024 reached 10.92°C (51.66°F), which is 1.03°C above the historical average. This makes it "the warmest year since comprehensive records began in 1961," according to the China Meteorological Administration's report published Wednesday night.

"The past four years were the hottest on record, with all ten warmest years since 1961 occurring in the 21st century," the agency noted.

In addition to breaking annual temperature records, China logged its hottest July, August, and autumn in history last year.

The United Nations also confirmed that 2024 is set to be the hottest year globally, marking an alarming milestone in the ongoing climate crisis.

A Ripple Effect of Rising Temperatures
Global warming, largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels, brings more than just higher temperatures. The increased heat in the atmosphere and oceans leads to a cascade of extreme weather events.

Warmer air holds more moisture, while hotter oceans accelerate evaporation, resulting in more intense storms and downpours. The impacts include widespread destruction, costly damages, and loss of life.

Deadly Weather Events in China
In 2024, floods killed dozens and displaced thousands across China. In May, a highway collapse caused by prolonged rainfall in southern China claimed 48 lives.

The southern city of Guangzhou saw a record-breaking 240 days with average temperatures exceeding 22°C (71.6°F), surpassing the previous record of 234 days set in 1994.

Meanwhile, heatwaves and drought struck regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River during early autumn.

A Global Crisis
Around the world, 2024 saw catastrophic weather events, including deadly floods in Spain and Kenya, violent storms in the United States and the Philippines, and severe droughts and wildfires in South America.

The financial toll of natural disasters last year reached $310 billion, according to Swiss Re, a Zurich-based insurance firm.

The 2015 Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with a target of 1.5°C if possible.

However, the World Meteorological Organization reported in November that the average surface air temperature from January to September 2024 was already 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels, underscoring the urgency of global climate action.