World sweltered as April smashed global heat records

April 2024 marked another month of record-breaking global air and sea surface temperatures, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Despite the weakening El Niño phenomenon, temperatures were 1.58°C above pre-industrial levels, surpassing the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target. The report cited human-caused climate change as exacerbating the extremes, with diverging floods and droughts observed globally. Experts warn that the end of El Niño does not mean an end to high temperatures, as greenhouse gas emissions continue to trap heat. photo: Reuters