As the sun rose over a coastal village in Southeast Asia, the faint sound of waves was suddenly replaced by an earth-shattering roar. Water surged inland, swallowing homes and dreams in seconds. Thousands of miles away, farmers in the parched heart of Africa gazed helplessly at cracked earth, praying for rain that never came. Meanwhile, in bustling cities across the globe, suffocating heat waves turned skyscrapers into ovens, leaving millions gasping for relief.

2024 unfolded like a harrowing tale of nature’s fury — a relentless series of floods, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes that have spared no corner of the planet. Behind every headline was a human story: families torn apart, communities displaced, and fragile ecosystems pushed to the brink. From the icy poles to the scorched equator, the environmental disasters of 2024 were not just events — they were reminders of a changing world and a call to action for all of humanity.

This article looks at the heart of these catastrophes, weaving together the science, the suffering, and the hope for a better tomorrow. For amidst the rubble and ruins, stories of resilience and determination have emerged, proving that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit endures.

2024 will likely be remembered as a pivotal moment in humanity’s struggle to confront the mounting environmental challenges of the 21st century. This year has brought unprecedented temperatures, record-setting natural disasters, and ecological degradation, affecting billions of people and ecosystems worldwide. These crises underscore the urgent need for global action to combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and implement sustainable practices.

2024 has been declared the hottest year on record, with global temperatures exceeding the critical threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. This alarming statistic signifies a breach of the 2015 Paris Agreement target, a milestone scientists had hoped to avoid.

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) has risen from 278 parts per million (ppm) in 1750 to an alarming 420 ppm today — an increase of 51 per cent. The annual growth rate of CO2 levels over the last decade has reached 2.4 ppm. During the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), held in Baku in Azerbaijan in November, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Celeste Saulo described this trend as a “powerful warning and a distress signal from our planet”.

The WMO’s extensive climate analysis has highlighted a concerning trend: 2024’s global average temperatures have surpassed those of previous years, even exceeding the record-breaking heat of 2023. According to comprehensive datasets, the period from June 2023 to September 2024 experienced significant temperature anomalies, consistently setting new records.

Among the key drivers of temperature rises are greenhouse gas emissions, the El Niño effect and deforestation. Persistent emissions of greenhouses gases such as CO2 from industrial activities, transportation, and deforestation remain the primary contributors to global warming. Despite international agreements, many nations have failed to meet their emissions reduction targets.

The natural El Niño phenomenon has exacerbated global temperatures, with regions across the Pacific and beyond experiencing higher-than-average heat levels. The destruction of forests, especially in tropical areas, has diminished the Earth’s ability to absorb CO2, accelerating the greenhouse effect.

Among the impacts have been extreme weather events and oceanic changes. Rising temperatures have intensified heat waves, droughts, and wildfires, affecting billions of people worldwide. Elevated ocean temperatures have increased acidification and caused sea levels to rise, threatening coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

Natural disasters in 2024 caused global economic losses estimated at $310 billion, a six per cent increase compared to 2023. According to the insurance giant Swiss Re, insured damages alone accounted for $135 billion — an annual rise of 17 per cent. This increase was driven largely by catastrophic events such as hurricanes and flooding.

CATASTROPHIC EVENTS: Among such catastrophic events taking place in 2024 were Hurricanes Helene and Milton that devastated the southeastern United States, leaving extensive destruction in their wake and driving up insurance costs.

The economic toll of floods globally reached $13 billion, disrupting industries like agriculture and fisheries while destroying critical infrastructure. Swiss Re also noted a sharp rise in losses associated with human-induced disasters, such as industrial accidents, predicting that total economic losses for 2024 could surpass $320 billion.

Several countries in Asia have faced catastrophic flooding, with heavy monsoon rains overwhelming infrastructure and displacing millions.

Parts of northern India experienced the worst monsoon floods in decades. Rivers such as the Ganges and Brahmaputra overflowed, submerging towns and farmlands. The floods claimed thousands of lives and forced over 10 million people to evacuate. Following the devastating 2022 floods, Pakistan faced yet another year of record-breaking rainfall. The inundation destroyed homes, disrupted agriculture, and left vulnerable communities struggling to recover.

Europe, typically less prone to extreme flooding, saw its fair share of disasters in 2024.

In Italy and Germany, torrential rains caused severe flooding along the Rhine and Po Rivers, damaging infrastructure, cutting off communities, and requiring emergency evacuations. In Spain, flash floods in the southeast of the country inundated cities, with Murcia and Valencia witnessing catastrophic damage.

The United States faced widespread flooding due to powerful hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane Milton brought record rainfall to the southeastern US, causing rivers to swell and urban areas to flood. Florida and Georgia were particularly hard-hit, with damages exceeding $20 billion.

In Africa, in an ironic twist, parts of the continent experienced severe droughts followed by devastating floods. Torrential rains in Sudan and South Sudan caused the River Nile to overflow, submerging entire villages and displacing tens of thousands. The lack of preparedness compounded the humanitarian crisis.

In South America, heavy rainfall in the Amazon Basin led to widespread flooding, threatening biodiversity and indigenous communities. River levels reached all-time highs, disrupting ecosystems and livelihoods.

BIODIVERSITY LOSS: 2024 witnessed an alarming acceleration in biodiversity loss, with species extinction, habitat destruction, and ecosystem degradation reaching critical levels.

These events serve as a grim reminder of humanity’s growing impact on the planet and the urgent need to address this crisis. As biodiversity underpins the health of ecosystems and supports human livelihoods, its rapid decline poses severe challenges to global sustainability.

Several species were officially declared extinct in 2024 due to habitat destruction, climate change, and human activities. Among the most notable losses were Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), the world’s smallest and most endangered porpoise, which was declared extinct after years of unsustainable fishing practices in the Gulf of California. The Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), a critically endangered species already down to its last few individuals, was officially listed as extinct after habitat destruction and pollution in its native rivers.

Deforestation, urban expansion, and agricultural development caused unprecedented habitat loss in 2024. Key regions affected included the Amazon rainforest in South America, where over 10,000 square km of forest were cleared in 2024 alone, pushing countless species closer to extinction.

In Southeast Asia, palm oil plantations continued to encroach on rainforests, threatening iconic species like orangutans and tigers.

CLIMATE-INDUCED MIGRATION: Climate-induced displacement emerged as one of the most pressing global challenges in 2024. Millions of people were forced to leave their homes due to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and uninhabitable conditions caused by prolonged heat waves.

Among these were urban heat islands, with populations in urban areas with inadequate infrastructure facing life-threatening temperatures and increasing cases of heat stress and related fatalities. Vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children, are particularly at risk.

Host communities struggled to accommodate displaced populations, putting immense pressure on housing, healthcare, and public utilities. Extreme weather events severely disrupted agricultural production and energy supply, increasing costs and deepening inequalities.

GLOBAL ACTION: The WMO emphasises that addressing extreme weather challenges requires urgent global collaboration. Enhanced investments in sustainable agriculture, early warning systems, and resilient infrastructure are critical to mitigating climate change’s effects.

However, the developing nations, disproportionately impacted by climate change, have received only a fraction of the financial support promised by wealthier countries. The $100 billion annual pledge made under the Paris Agreement remains largely unmet. Without adequate funding, vulnerable communities struggle to adapt to rising temperatures and worsening natural disasters.

Geopolitical conflicts, such as those in Gaza and Ukraine, further diverted resources and political attention away from environmental priorities in 2024. As military spending rises, budgets for climate adaptation and mitigation shrink, leaving nations ill-prepared for the intensifying climate crisis.

EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY: According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), 2024 witnessed an unusually high number of significant earthquakes, with over 25 major quakes (magnitude 6.0 or higher) recorded worldwide. Key affected regions included Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the Americas.

The most devastating were concentrated in densely populated areas, where poor infrastructure and lack of preparedness exacerbated the human and economic toll.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria in February 2024, causing catastrophic damage. Over 50,000 people lost their lives, and hundreds of thousands were injured. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, with infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, severely damaged. Millions were displaced, requiring urgent international assistance.

The earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks, including one measuring 7.2, further complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

Tokyo experienced its strongest earthquake in decades in Tokyo in June 2024, with a magnitude of 8.1. The quake triggered widespread panic, disrupted transportation, and caused fires in several districts. Japan’s advanced earthquake-resistant infrastructure limited fatalities to around 500, but the economic losses exceeded $50 billion due to halted industries and damaged infrastructure.

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Himalayan region, affecting northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan in September 2024. The quake triggered massive landslides, cutting off remote villages and complicating rescue efforts. Over 10,000 people were killed, and many more were left homeless.

Chile, a country accustomed to seismic activity, faced a 9.0 magnitude earthquake off its coast in October 2024, followed by a devastating tsunami. Coastal regions were inundated, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents. The tsunami caused minor damage as far away as Japan and Hawaii.

SOLUTIONS: There are various steps that can be taken to mitigate the environmental crisis that the world now faces.

The first is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for global warming. This can be done through the transition to renewable energy, the promotion of energy efficiency, and reforestation on a large scale. Governments must accelerate the adoption of clean energy sources like solar and wind to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Investments in smart grids, electric vehicles, and energy-saving technologies can significantly lower emissions. And large-scale tree-planting initiatives can absorb CO2 and restore ecosystems.

The second is to enhance climate resilience through disaster preparedness, sustainable agriculture, and resilient urban planning. Strengthening early warning systems and disaster-response mechanisms is essential to minimise loss of life and property. Developing drought-resistant crops and adopting climate-smart farming practices can ensure food security. And designing cities with green infrastructure, such as permeable pavements and flood-resistant buildings, can reduce vulnerability to climate risks.

The third is strengthening international cooperation, which can be done by signing binding agreements, increasing climate financing, and furthering conflict resolution. Nations must commit to legally binding treaties with enforceable accountability measures to ensure climate goals are met. Wealthy nations must fulfil their financial commitments to help developing countries adapt to climate impacts. Addressing geopolitical tensions will free resources and attention for environmental initiatives.

The fourth is through raising public awareness through education campaigns and community engagement worldwide. Increasing awareness about climate change can empower individuals to adopt sustainable practices, and grassroots movements and local solutions play a vital role in tackling global environmental challenges.

The environmental crises of 2024 serve as a stark wake-up call for humanity. Rising temperatures, escalating natural disasters, and biodiversity loss highlight the urgent need for transformative action. Addressing these crises requires a holistic approach that combines emissions reduction, enhanced resilience, and global cooperation.

By embracing sustainable practices, fostering international solidarity, and prioritising environmental health, humanity can mitigate the damage and build a livable future for generations to come. The time to act is now before it is too late.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 26 December, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly