Accepting our 2024 failures and building a stronger 2025

If humanity were to be graded on its climate efforts in 2024, the report card would read a resounding F. “Must do better next time”.

Last year was the hottest on record. To understand the significance of this in the context of human history, you only have to glimpse at this analysis of NASA data by Leon Simons. Average global temperature rise exceeded 1.5⁰C for the first time last year.

To be clear, 1.5⁰C is no magic number. Every fraction of a degree counts, so climate action is as important now as it was last year. The relevance of 1.5⁰C is however worth remembering. It was the number derived as a target for international consensus, from a mind-boggling amount of data analysis. It represents the sum of climatic tipping points across numerous aspects of earth system science. World-leading scientists made clear that this is not a “safe limit”, but the point beyond which the impacts of global warming will be “catastrophic” for us all.

When world leaders signed up to 1.5⁰C as part of the Paris Agreement in 2015, it was imagined that at worst case we might meet exceed it in the 2040s. Last year it happened. Things are clearly moving very fast, and in the wrong direction.

As a climate writer who tells it as it is, I believe that you decide how to react to this information. A call to action based on fear isn’t always healthy or productive. Nor is trying to sell a “good news story” in an attempt to find balance.

For me, this is an opportunity to practice acceptance. Acceptance is not giving up, but is a healthy and necessary step in understanding what the next right action could be. An opportunity to take a pause, reflect and regulate the nervous system. Building psychological resilience. Allowing inspired solutions to naturally arise.

Step One of the Climate Calm programme offers just that. For a limited time, subscribe to Climate Calm and get this transformative step for free. This programme will change how you feel about the chaotic world we live in, empowering you to create meaningful change.

There is also a new video guide. The Stop and Centre practice takes less than a minute, and with regular practice will transform your feelings about the chaotic and unpredictable world in which we live.