May 2024 was the warmest May ever recorded, marking the 12th consecutive month (since June 2023) with a record-breaking global average temperature for the corresponding month, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
The C3S data was cited by the UN Secretary-General, calling for urgent action as two new reports on climate change were released.
The global average temperature for May 2024 was 0.65°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.52°C above the pre-industrial average (1850-1900), making it the 11th consecutive month (since July 2023) that the global average temperature reached or exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Reflecting this series of record monthly temperatures, the global average temperature for the past 12 months (June 2023 – May 2024) is the highest ever recorded, 0.75°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.63°C above the pre-industrial average, according to C3S.
“It is shocking but not surprising that we have reached this 12-month streak. Although this streak of record-breaking months will eventually end, the overall trend of climate change remains, with no signs of reversal,” says C3S Director Carlo Buontempo.
“We are living in unprecedented times, but we also have significant capabilities to monitor the climate, which can inform our actions. This series of warmest months may one day be remembered as comparatively ‘cool,’ but if we manage to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the very near future, we may be able to return to these ‘colder’ temperatures up to today.”
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