Was 2024 the Hottest Year on Record?

We are often reminded that 2024 was the hottest year on record and that 2023 was the second hottest. The World Meteorological Organization, NOAA, and Copernicus (the European Union equivalent to NOAA) all report this.

Given the considerable amount of expertise that these agencies represent, it would be natural and reasonable to accept their claims. How could anyone say otherwise? But not everyone agrees.

Before I explain, it’s fair to say that 2024 was a hot year by several metrics and the hottest in at least 47 years.