The month of July was declared as the ‘hottest month’ on record on Earth since 1940, scientists confirmed on Thursday. UN chief Antonio Guterres warns the world as Earth has moved into an ‘era of global boiling’.
Global warming’s scorching heat has impacted tens of millions of individuals across regions in Europe, Asia, and North America this month. Coupled with raging wildfires that have devastated parts of Canada and southern Europe, the situation has raised alarm and emphasized the urgency of climate action.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Guterres, stressed that climate change has become a terrifying reality, emphasizing the need for immediate and bold measures to reduce planet-heating emissions.
According to the World Meteorological Organization and Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the first three weeks of July have recorded global average temperatures surpassing any comparable period. As a result, July 2023 is projected to be the hottest month on record since the 1940s.
The burning of fossil fuels has contributed to approximately 1.2˚C of global warming since the late 1800s, leading to more intense, longer, and frequent heatwaves, along with intensified storms and floods.
The severity of the heat and wildfires has raised concerns about health, ecosystems, and economies.
President Joe Biden of the United States labeled the soaring temperatures as an “existential threat.”
The devastating wildfires in the Mediterranean region, along with heatwaves in Beijing and the United States, have prompted calls for measures to protect public safety.
Global average sea surface temperatures have also been exceptionally warm, leading to concerns about rising sea levels and threats to coral reefs.
Experts emphasize that global temperatures are likely to temporarily rise 1.5˚C above the pre-industrial benchmark for at least one of the next five years, requiring urgent and sustained efforts to combat climate change.
The extreme weather events experienced in July serve as a forewarning of the future if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced. Immediate climate action is deemed essential, not a luxury.
Scientists have concluded that certain heatwaves in Europe and North America would have been nearly impossible without the influence of climate change.
