March 2024 warmest ever, average temp at new high

New Delhi April 9

The world experienced the warmest March ever due to a combined effect of El Nino and human-caused climate change, making it the 10th consecutive month since June last year to set a new temperature record, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Tuesday.

This year, March was 1.68° Celsius warmer than the late 1800s, the base used for temperatures before the burning of fossil fuels began growing rapidly.

The C3S said the global average temperature breached the 1.5° Celsius threshold for an entire year for the first time in January.

The rise in global average temperature is attributed to the rapidly increasing concentration of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere. The IMD has also warned of extreme heat during the April-June period when around a billion people are expected to exercise their franchise during the General Election, heightening concerns about vulnerability to heat waves.