By Cristal Jimenez
In the last five months of 2024, several Latin American countries have experienced intense heat waves. Such is the case of Mexico, where five heat waves have been predicted for the rest of the year. Brazil and Argentina have also been among the most affected regions.
These heat waves are the most evident expression of the fact that global warming is getting worse and worse and high temperatures will not stop. In fact, on June 5, the World Meteorological Organization reported that there is a 47% probability that the global average temperature during the five-year period 2024-2028 will be 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era.
Likewise, there is an 86% probability that in one of these years a new temperature record will be set, which would surpass 2023, the warmest year so far.
For the time being, alternatives continue to be sought so that these forecasts do not become a reality. One of those that have been proposed is the Paris Agreement, where world leaders committed to three key elements:
1- Limit the increase in temperatures to 1.5 °C,
2- Examine the contribution of countries to the reduction of emissions every five years and
3- Help the poorest nations by providing climate finance.
However, according to Ko Barret, the Secretary General of the WMO, mentions that, “We are a long way from meeting the targets set in the Paris Agreement...we must urgently do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or we will pay an ever higher price.”
And although there is still time to manage actions to prevent climate change from getting even worse, this commitment is not only for world leaders, but it is also necessary that society acquires the ultimate responsibility to take care of the planet, because otherwise, existence on earth will be increasingly dangerous, both for the health of human beings, as well as for the loss of flora and fauna species and the deterioration of ecosystems.