Why could 2024 be the hottest year in history?

The climate crisis is causing severe heat waves around the world, and 2024 could be the peak of this period.

Widespread hot weather continues for a long time

According to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, many places across the country are recording high temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius, exceeding the threshold of severe heat.

Many places around the world are entering a hot summer (Photo: Getty).

Specifically in Hanoi , the highest temperature observed on April 27 reached 40 degrees Celsius, and is forecast to last until April 30.

Severe heat of 38-40 degrees Celsius was also recorded in Son La, Hoa Binh and provinces from Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen. In the Southern region, high temperatures of 35-38 degrees Celsius have been recorded for many days, with some places exceeding 39 degrees Celsius.

Around the world, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns that the El Nino phenomenon combined with climate change can push global temperatures to unprecedented highs.

In South Asia and Southeast Asia, intense heat in some places pushed the heat index to exceed 47 degrees Celsius on April 25-27. An isolated case was recorded in Thailand on April 25, when the heat index in the capital Bangkok exceeded 52 degrees Celsius.

In early April, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also predicted an "unusually hot" summer in many areas of the US, extending from the northwest to the southwest.

The combination of heat and little rain could increase the risk of drought and wildfires in some regions.

Earlier in March, scientists from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Facility said February was the hottest February according to records stretching back to 1940.

There, temperatures are rising at a critical 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with irreparable consequences for the planet.

2024: Prediction of the hottest year and consequences from the climate crisis

2024 is likely to be the hottest year ever recorded (Photo: Getty).

From NOAA to Copernicus, climate models predict 2024 is likely to be the hottest year ever recorded, due to the "dual" effects of climate change and the El Nino phenomenon . In particular, the El Nino phenomenon is expected to contribute significantly to the increase in global temperature.

There, the above temperature increase will have a serious impact on weather patterns, ecosystems and human society. Along with that is the possibility of new extreme weather events and an increase in the severity of challenges related to climate change.

"Life on our planet is clearly threatened," William Ripple, an ecologist at Oregon State University, said in a recent study.

"Statistical trends show alarming patterns, expressed through variables and instances of specific climate-related disasters."

On the other hand, Ripple also emphasized that the study found little positive signs that humanity can fight climate change. Scientists say humans are pushing Earth's biosphere systems into a "destabilized and dangerous" state.

Specifically, by the end of this century, research predicts that about 1/3-1/2 of the world's population (equivalent to 3-6 billion people) could be pushed out of the "livable zone". This means they may experience extreme heat and food shortages.

Scientists also believe that humanity is exploiting too much from the Earth, and politicians must urgently fight for policies to solve this problem.

Only then will we have the opportunity to survive the long-term challenges of climate change.