For the second consecutive year, the planet has experienced its hottest summer on record, with temperatures soaring to unprecedented heights. According to data released by Copernicus, Europe’s climate change service, the summer of 2024 was a scorching 0.69 degrees Celsius hotter than the average summer between 1991 and 2020.

This milestone marks the latest in a string of global heat records, and scientists warn that it won’t be the last. As humans continue to pump out planet-heating fossil fuels, the consequences are clear: deadly heat waves, record-breaking wildfires, and destructive storms are becoming the new norm.

The past 12 months have been the hottest on record for any year-long period, with temperatures averaging 1.64 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels. The joint-hottest August on record has capped off a summer of extremes, with temperatures in Antarctica climbing a staggering 50 degrees Fahrenheit above normal in July.

Scientists are sounding the alarm, warning that the steady drumbeat of temporary temperature breaches is an indication of where the world is headed. “The temperature-related extreme events witnessed this summer will only become more intense, with more devastating consequences for people and the planet unless we take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Copernicus deputy director Samantha Burgess.

As the world teeters on the brink of climate catastrophe, one thing is clear: the need for action has never been more urgent. Will we rise to the challenge, or succumb to the devastating consequences of inaction? Only time will tell.