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China has officially recorded 2024 as its warmest year since comprehensive records began in 1961, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced this week, underscoring the accelerating impact of climate change.
The nation’s average temperature for 2024 reached 10.92 degrees Celsius, exceeding the historical norm by 1.03°C. This milestone follows a series of increasingly warm years, with 2023 previously holding the record. Remarkably, the past four years now rank as the hottest in Chinese history, a pattern mirrored globally.
“The top four warmest years were the last four years, and even the top ten warmest years since 1961 all occurred in the 21st century,” the CMA said.
The CMA noted that if the baseline of annual climate data from 1991-2020 is used, the majority of years since 2000 have surpassed this average — an undeniable trend of rising temperatures.
This warming trend highlighted the persistent challenge posed by climate change, as the country — the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases — continues to face pressure to reduce its carbon footprint.
The year also brought other unprecedented records for China, including its hottest July, August, and autumn since observations began. Temperatures in 19 provinces, regions, and cities reached their highest levels ever, while seven others recorded their second-warmest year.
Globally, 2024 has been declared the hottest year on record by the United Nations, with climate scientists pointing to human-induced warming as the primary driver. India and Australia have also reported historic highs, with India logging its hottest year since 1901 and Australia marking its second-warmest year since 1910.
The impact of warming was evident on the first day of 2025, with cities like Changsha experiencing spring-like temperatures of 17.3°C — much higher than the seasonal norm. While a weak cold front is expected to bring slight cooling in the coming days, its effect is limited, with many areas likely to remain unusually warm for early January.
China has committed to achieving peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching Net-Zero emissions by 2060.