By Seth Borenstein | Associated Press
July is currently on track to be the hottest month globally and the warmest in human history, according to scientists. The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service have declared that July’s heat is unprecedented, with Earth’s temperature surpassing the internationally accepted goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
This month, temperatures have exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.5 degrees for a record 16 days. While previous temperatures have temporarily surpassed this threshold, it has never happened in July. Additionally, July has experienced extreme heatwaves across North America, Europe, and Asia, making a record-breaking month inevitable. The US Southwest is currently enduring an ongoing heatwave that shows no signs of stopping, affecting over 128 million Americans who are under heat advisories.
Scientists warn that these heat records are indicative of future climate changes as the planet continues to warm. The effects go beyond heatwaves, leading to increased flooding, longer and more intense wildfires, and extreme weather events that endanger many lives.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on world leaders, especially those from wealthy nations, to take more action in reducing heat-trapping gas emissions. Despite international efforts and commitments, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.
Guterres stated, “Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning. The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”
Scientists attribute these heat records to human-caused climate change, amplified by a natural El Nino event in the Pacific Ocean. However, researchers also point to unusually high ocean temperatures in the Atlantic and record-breaking loss of sea ice in Antarctica. The unpredictability of these climate patterns has surprised scientists and raised concerns.
According to Copernicus, the average global temperature for the first 23 days of July was 16.95 degrees Celsius (62.5 degrees Fahrenheit), nearly 0.3 degrees Celsius (0.6 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than the previous record set in July 2019. This significant increase is uncommon for temperature records, which usually increase by hundredths or tenths of a degree.
These conclusions were reached through analysis of forecasts, live observations, past records, and computer simulations by both the WMO-Copernicus team and an independent German scientist. Additional calculations by Karsten Haustein at Leipzig University indicate that this month may exceed the previous record by 0.2 degrees Celsius (.36 degrees Fahrenheit).
As climate records continue to be broken, scientists emphasize the urgency for adaptation and mitigation measures to protect human societies and ecosystems. The extreme heat experienced in July serves as a warning, highlighting the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to more sustainable practices.
Jamey Keaten contributed from Geneva and Edith Lederer from the United Nations.
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