The Race Against 1.5°C: How January 2025 Warned Us Again

As we enter 2025, the world faces an urgent question: can we keep global warming below the critical 1.5°C threshold? The United Nations has highlighted five key areas of concern that will shape the fight against climate change this year:

1. Can we keep 1.5 alive?

2. Protecting nature

3. Who’s going to pay for all this?

4. Laying down the law

5. Plastic pollution

The struggle to maintain 1.5°C is at the forefront. The beginning of 2025 has already presented major challenges, with extreme weather events and an alarming decline in Arctic ice levels. These issues are more than just statistics—they are real, tangible threats to communities and ecosystems worldwide.

Extreme Weather Events: The Warning Signs

January 2025 has been a month of extreme climate events, each a stark reminder of how rapidly the planet is changing:

• Australia: Severe thunderstorms in Victoria resulted in thousands of lightning strikes, hail, and powerful winds, cutting power to over 38,000 homes. Meanwhile, South Australia battled an extreme heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 41°C in Adelaide, causing power outages and infrastructure damage. In Rostrevor, a rare mini-tornado caused further destruction.

• Western Australia: A marine heatwave off the Pilbara coast killed approximately 30,000 fish over a 9 km stretch near Gnoorea Point. With nearshore water temperatures reaching 31°C—2-3°C above normal, the threat to marine ecosystems, including the Ningaloo Reef, is becoming more serious.

• Russia: Unseasonably warm temperatures were recorded in Moscow and Siberia, where flowers such as snowdrops bloomed prematurely. This phenomenon, while seemingly beautiful, signals severe disruptions in natural cycles and reinforces that climate change is accelerating at an alarming pace.

• United States: Wildfires in California once again ravaged vast areas, forcing thousands to evacuate as dry conditions fueled massive blazes.

The Arctic is Melting Faster Than Ever

While these extreme weather events capture headlines, the most significant warning sign for our planet might be the silent, ongoing crisis in the Arctic. December 2024 recorded the lowest Arctic sea ice extent, 8% below the average for that month, averaging just 11.42 million square kilometres. This is not just about polar bears losing their habitat; it directly affects global climate stability.

The Arctic plays a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate. As ice melts, it exposes more ocean surface, which absorbs heat instead of reflecting sunlight. This creates a dangerous feedback loop that accelerates warming, disrupts weather patterns, and raises sea levels. Coastal cities worldwide, from New York to Jakarta, face the risk of more frequent and severe flooding.

The impact is immediate for communities in the Arctic. Indigenous populations that rely on stable ice for hunting and transportation are witnessing their way of life disappear. Fisheries are affected, as warming waters push fish populations to new, unpredictable regions, disrupting economies and food supplies.

Conclusion and future perspective 

The numbers and statistics paint a dire picture, but behind them are real people facing real struggles. From families evacuating their homes due to wildfires in California to fishermen in the Arctic watching their livelihoods vanish, climate change is not a distant threat—it is here, now, and personal. January 2025 has made one thing clear: the fight to keep 1.5°C alive is more complex than ever. But it is a fight we cannot afford to lose. The melting Arctic is not just a sign of change but a call to action. Governments, industries, and individuals must work together to reduce emissions, protect vulnerable communities, and take climate commitments seriously. If the ice continues to melt, so does our chance of a stable, livable planet.