July 2023 has officially been declared the hottest month on record by the European climate monitoring organization, Copernicus Climate Change Service. With a global average temperature of 16.95 degrees Celsius (62.51 degrees Fahrenheit), July surpassed the previous record set in 2019 by a third of a degree Celsius (six tenths of a degree Fahrenheit). This margin is unusual, as global temperature records are typically broken by much smaller increments.
The consequences of these record-breaking temperatures are dire, according to Copernicus deputy director Samantha Burgess. The world has experienced deadly heat waves in regions such as the Southwestern United States and Mexico, Europe, and Asia. Scientific studies have attributed these extreme events to human-caused climate change resulting from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas.
The previous single-day heat record, set in 2016 and tied in 2022, has been surpassed every day since July 3. Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organization even made the unprecedented announcement that July was likely to be the hottest month before it ended. Tuesday’s calculations confirmed this prediction.
Imperial College of London climate scientist Friederike Otto emphasized that the significance of July’s record lies not in its status as a record, but in the indication of how much the climate has changed. Otto stated that we are now living in a very different world, one that our societies are ill-equipped to handle.
Compared to pre-industrial times, the global average temperature last month was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer. In 2015, nations worldwide agreed to work towards preventing long-term warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
July 2023 was also significantly hotter than the average July from 1991 to 2020, with a temperature increase of 0.7 degrees Celsius (1.3 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Copernicus. The world’s oceans were half a degree Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the previous 30 years, and the North Atlantic was 1.05 degrees Celsius (1.9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than average. Additionally, Antarctica experienced record lows for sea ice, measuring 15% below the average for this time of year.
Copernicus, a division of the European Union’s space program, has temperature records dating back to 1940. July’s temperature surpasses any month recorded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration since 1850. However, scientists argue that this record is not only the hottest in recent history but also the warmest in the past 10,000 years.
Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research in Germany, described July 2023 as a stunning record, making it the warmest month on Earth in 10,000 years. Rahmstorf referred to studies that use tree rings and other proxies to demonstrate that present times are the warmest since the beginning of the Holocene Epoch, approximately 10,000 years ago. Considering that an ice age preceded the Holocene, it is logical to conclude that this is the warmest record in the past 120,000 years.
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How can we accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement to effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change and prevent irreversible consequences?
Mer. This is a concerning milestone as it brings us closer to the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, which scientists warn will lead to irreversible and catastrophic consequences.
The impacts of this unprecedented heat are already being felt around the globe. Heatwaves have become more frequent and intense, putting vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those without access to air conditioning, at serious risk. In addition to the immediate health risks, extreme heat can also lead to crop failures, water shortages, and increased wildfire activity.
The record-breaking temperatures in July serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The Paris Agreement, which strives to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, must be implemented with greater speed and ambition. This means transitioning to renewable energy sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure.
While the task ahead may seem daunting, there is hope. The increasing recognition of the climate crisis and the growing momentum of the youth-led climate movement are encouraging signs that change is possible. However, we cannot afford to delay any longer. The consequences of inaction are too dire.
As we reflect on the hottest month on record, let it serve as a wake-up call. We must come together, as individuals, communities, and nations, to unite against the common threat of climate change. The future of our planet and the well-being of future generations depend on our collective action today.
Wow, this is definitely a wake-up call for all of us to take climate change seriously.