Here's why there's hope for climate financing

SO, WE'RE AT the end of another record-breaking year for heat. It became "effectively certain" at the start of December that 2024 is going to be the warmest year on record and more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial baseline, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, part of the European Union's Earth observation programme.

- LARA WILLIAMS

The Paris Agreement temperature target, which aims to try and limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and "well below" 2°C, is in serious jeopardy. Though this year's breach is likely to be temporary, with global temperatures boosted by El Niño, Zeke Hausfather, researcher at non-profit group Berkeley Earth, told the Guardian that the 1.5C goal is "deader than a doornail".

That sentiment has been echoed throughout the scientific community, but we have yet to grapple with what that means. As recently as November at COP29, the United Nations climate change conference in Azerbaijan, there were promises and pledges to keep "1.5°C within reach". There's a myriad of reasons not to move the goal-posts, but in 2025, there ought to be a shift in the messaging. Rather than empty words about keeping a number alive, we need realism - yes, we are likely to breach 1.5°C, but we can still act to limit warming - followed by action.