Earth crosses 2C warning line for first time
The IndependentSign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Earth has breached the milestone temperature of 2C for the first time – a temporary step but one that scientists warn is far off-course in fighting the climate crisis. On Friday, the global average temperature was 2.06C higher than the pre-industrial levels for the first time since records began, according to preliminary data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. open image in gallery The planet temporarily breached 2 degrees Celsius on Friday - the upper limit set out by the Paris Agreement The global temperature – the average of all weather stations around the world – has been climbing since humans started burning oil, gas and coal in excessive amounts during the industrial revolution. Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at the non-profit, Climate Action Network told The Independent that the 2C rise “is not just a statistic” but “a global climate crisis in action”.