Scientists have recently warned that 2023 is on track to become the hottest year in human history. This revelation comes as experts gathered for an important meteorological conference last month.
According to Samantha Burgess, the Deputy Director of the European meteorological agency Copernicus, it can now be stated with a high degree of certainty that 2023 is indeed the hottest year in human history.
She mentioned that during the first ten months of 2023, global temperatures were recorded to be 1.43 degrees Celsius above industrial-era averages, signifying a substantial increase.
This year has seen a surge in temperature primarily attributed to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, which have led to a buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Earth has now warmed by 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era.
In October 2023, the average temperature witnessed the second-highest increase, with a 1.7-degree Celsius surplus over industrial-era averages. This follows September 2023, where there was an alarming 1.8-degree Celsius increase over those averages.
Experts have observed that the ongoing impact of climate change is causing temperatures to surpass human tolerance. The 2015 Paris Agreement aimed to limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
However, according to Frederik Otto, a scientist at Imperial College London, October 2023 has underscored the widening gap from record temperatures, signaling the ongoing accumulation of toxic gases and the influence of the La Niña phenomenon on global warming.
In fact, it has been made evident that the heatwaves and prolonged periods of drought have intensified, causing the loss of thousands of lives, while financial losses are immense.
These observations affirm the significance of the Paris Agreement and the failures in meeting its objectives.
It is essential to remember that the 2015 Paris Agreement was a response to the recognition that global temperatures were already on the rise, and its goals were set to curb climate change.
Ayo Das, a scientist at Reading University, highlighted that October 2023 confirmed once again how temperature records are being shattered, indicating that record margins are being broken.
The ongoing formation of La Niña remains a significant contributing factor, yet its impact on temperature increases is currently less severe than the major events in 1997 or 2015.
La Niña is a climatic phenomenon that often results in a large portion of the ocean’s surface waters becoming warmer than usual, leading to an overall increase in global temperatures.
The statement also revealed that from January to October 2023, the average global temperature broke the record of the initial ten months of 2016, which was previously considered the hottest year in human history. During this period, the average global temperature remained 0.1 degree Celsius above the first ten months of 2016.
The alarming data shows that global temperatures are continuing to rise to unprecedented levels, reinforcing the urgent need for more significant efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
