Paris, France - The EU's climate monitor Copernicus on Thursday revealed that 2024 was "virtually certain" to be the hottest year on record and may, for the first time, break the 1.5-degree warming limit.

Scientists at the agency revealed that in 2024, average temperatures may rise by more than 1.55 degrees Celsius (approximately 2.79 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1850-1900 average temperature.

While such a number does not breach the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, which aims to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius, the temperature rise is still seen as a milestone.

In October, temperatures reached a particular height, at an average of 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to Copernicus.

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"Given that 2023 was 1.48°C above the pre-industrial level," Copernicus revealed in a recently released report, "it is likewise virtually certain that the annual temperature for 2024... will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level, and likely that it will be more than 1.55°C above."

In a statement on X, the Copernicus Climate Change Service's Deputy Director Samantha Burgess said, "It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record."

"It is also virtually certain that the annual temperature for 2024 will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level," she said.

The news comes days before climate negotiations are set to begin at COP29 in Azerbaijan next week. Aiming to start a new round of carbon-cutting targets, some are already concerned that the conference will be stymied by Donald Trump's victory in the US election this week.

"This marks a new milestone in global temperature records and should serve as a catalyst to raise ambition for the upcoming climate change conference," Burgess was quoted by The Guardian as saying in regard to COP29.

"Our civilization never had to cope with a climate as warm as the current one," said Carlo Buontempo, Copernicus' director.

"This inevitably pushes our ability to respond to extreme events, and adapt to a warmer world, to the absolute limit... The most effective solution to address the climate challenges is a global commitment on emissions."