Earth Endures Hottest June-August Period on Record Amid Climate Crisis
New report reveals Earth just faced its hottest 3 month period on record, with August 2023 being the hottest August ever amid worrying climate trends
The planet has just experienced its hottest three-month period in recorded history, with August 2023 now confirmed as the hottest August ever amid a series of broken temperature records that have prompted urgent calls for climate action.
Increasing Temperatures Smash Multiple Benchmarks
According to data from the European Union-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the June to August 2023 period was the warmest on record globally since at least 1940. The average temperature over these three months was 16.77°C, a significant 0.66°C above the norm for this period.
August 2023 itself was the hottest August recorded, surpassing all previous highs by a wide margin. C3S estimates August was approximately 1.5°C warmer than preindustrial levels from 1850-1900, showing how today’s temperatures are dramatically higher than in the past.
Second Warmest Year So Far
Taken as a whole, 2023 is on track to be the second warmest year ever through January to August, just behind 2016. The 2016 record was influenced by a powerful El Niño event, which typically peaks in its warming effect about a year after it begins.
Extreme Weather Takes Devastating Toll
The unprecedented heat has brought disastrous impacts across the world. Wildfires raged across Europe and North America amidst droughts, destroying vast areas of forests. Heavy rainfall and floods displaced millions in Pakistan and China.
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, warned that “climate breakdown” has begun, emphasizing the urgent need for climate action by world leaders. The extreme weather occurred before the full impact of the developing El Niño, which will likely raise temperatures further.
The planet has just experienced its hottest three-month period in recorded history, with August 2023 now confirmed as the hottest August ever amid a series of broken temperature records that have prompted urgent calls for climate action.
Increasing Temperatures Smash Multiple Benchmarks-Earth had the hottest three month Period
According to data from the European Union-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the June to August 2023 period was the warmest on record globally since at least 1940. The average temperature over these three months was 16.77°C, a significant 0.66°C above the norm for this period.
August 2023 itself was the hottest August recorded, surpassing all previous highs by a wide margin. C3S estimates August was approximately 1.5°C warmer than preindustrial levels from 1850-1900, showing how today’s temperatures are dramatically higher than in the past.
Second Warmest Year So Far
Taken as a whole, 2023 is on track to be the second warmest year ever through January to August, just behind 2016. The 2016 record was influenced by a powerful El Niño event, which typically peaks in its warming effect about a year after it begins.
Extreme Weather Takes Devastating Toll
The unprecedented heat has brought disastrous impacts across the world. Wildfires raged across Europe and North America amidst droughts, destroying vast areas of forests. Heavy rainfall and floods displaced millions in Pakistan and China.
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, warned that “climate breakdown” has begun, emphasizing the urgent need for climate action by world leaders. The extreme weather occurred before the full impact of the developing El Niño, which will likely raise temperatures further.
Breaching the 1.5°C Limit
There is a high chance that global temperatures will temporarily exceed the critical 1.5°C warming limit above pre-industrial levels in the next five years. This key threshold was set by the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst climate change impacts.
However, climate experts stress this does not mean irreversibly breaking the 1.5°C limit, as temperatures could drop afterward. But it highlights the fast-closing window for preventing dangerous levels of warming.
KEY POINTS :
- June-August 2023 was the hottest 3-month period on record globally. August 2023 was the hottest August ever recorded.
- 2023 is on track to be the 2nd warmest year through August, behind 2016 which had an El Niño effect.
- Global average sea surface temps hit a new high in August 2023. Antarctic sea ice remains at record lows.
- UN Secretary-General and WMO Secretary-General warned of climate breakdown impacts and the need for urgent action.
- There is high likelihood of breaching the 1.5C Paris Agreement threshold in next 5 years without rapid emissions reductions.
- Passing 1.5C risks triggering feedback loops and ecosystem tipping points that could permanently shift Earth’s climate.
- Temperature records demonstrate the clear impacts of climate change underway. Urgent climate action is critical to avoid the worst effects.
Breaching the 1.5°C Limit
There is a high chance that global temperatures will temporarily exceed the critical 1.5°C warming limit above pre-industrial levels in the next five years. This key threshold was set by the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst climate change impacts.
However, climate experts stress this does not mean irreversibly breaking the 1.5°C limit, as temperatures could drop afterward. But it highlights the fast-closing window for preventing dangerous levels of warming.
Call for Urgent Climate Action
With the unrelenting rise in extremes, the head of the WMO urged nations to act immediately on adapting to climate change and curbing emissions. The main cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.
Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the WMO, said the abnormal heat “is continuing in 2023” and impacting lives and livelihoods. He emphasized the need to invest in early warning services, weather observing networks and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The record temperatures and impacts underscore the accelerating climate crisis. Scientists stress that rapid, deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions can still stabilize global warming and reduce future risks. But this window of opportunity is closing fast.
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