Nidhish Waghmare
According to data, world temperature records were broken on Sunday, potentially marking the hottest day ever recorded. Driven by carbon emissions from fossil fuels and livestock farming, the average surface air temperature reached 17.09C (62.76F) on Sunday. Read on to know how the world is impacted as Copernicus records highest temperature.
This surpasses the previous record of 17.08C (62.74F) set on July 6 last year. However, scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, which has data dating back to 1940, noted that the difference between the two records is not statistically significant.
“We are now in truly uncharted territory” Copernicus director said
“What is truly staggering is how large the difference is between the temperature of the last 13 months and the previous temperature records,” said the Copernicus director, Carlo Buontempo.
“We are now in truly uncharted territory – and as the climate keeps warming, we are bound to see new records being broken in future months and years.”
Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist who works on the Berkeley Earth data project, said the record was “certainly a worrying sign” on the back of 13 record-setting months and that it should show up in datasets from other research groups. “It also makes it even more likely that 2024 will beat 2023 as the warmest year on record.
Why the rapid increase in temperature might just be the new reality
Climate change and global warming are two topics not a lot of us need introduction to. Most people are aware of the negative consequences of their actions that increase the carbon footprint. However, it’s concerning how people still keep overlooking the massive issue.
The Earth’s rapid warming may slow down temporarily later this year if a strong weather pattern shifts into the cooler phase known as La Niña. However, the overall trend of global warming will continue as long as greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.
However, if the anthropogenic actions continue to work in opposite of the Planet’s betterment, this record might just be the lowest temperature for the future generations. As the planet continues to face rising temperatures, here are some of the consequences.
- Increased Heatwaves: More frequent and intense heatwaves, leading to health risks and fatalities.
- Agricultural Impact: Crop yields may suffer due to extreme temperatures, affecting food security.
- Water Shortages: Higher temperatures can exacerbate droughts and reduce water availability.
- Ecosystem Disruption: Wildlife and plant species may struggle to adapt, leading to loss of biodiversity.
- Sea Level Rise: Accelerated melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, contributing to rising sea levels and coastal flooding.
- Economic Strain: Increased costs related to healthcare, disaster response, and infrastructure repair.
- Extreme Weather Events: More frequent and severe storms, hurricanes, and other extreme weather phenomena.
These consequences underscore the urgent need for climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate global warming. Earlier this month, Copernicus reported that global temperatures had been 1.5C (2.7F) or more above the pre-fossil fuel era average for 12 consecutive months.
Although one year of such high temperatures doesn’t mean world leaders have failed to limit global warming to 1.5C by the end of the century—a target measured over decades rather than individual years—it does push more people and ecosystems to the brink.
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