· 2 min read
illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Earth.Org or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: 2023 is set to be the hottest year on record, with global average temperatures 1.46C above pre-industrial levels, surpassing 2016's record
• November 2023 was the warmest November ever, with a surface air temperature of 14.22C. This year also witnessed the hottest June, July, and August, affecting over 81% of the global population
🔭 The context: The extreme weather in 2023, including record-breaking temperatures and seasons, is attributed to natural variations like the El Niño phenomenon and the predominant use of fossil fuels
• Human-induced warming has increased by over 0.2C per decade, with emissions at an all-time high
• The world is nearing the 1.5C warming threshold set in the Paris Agreement, potentially in six years if current emission levels persist
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Marine ecosystems suffered significantly, with the highest global monthly average sea surface temperatures recorded in August 2023
• Ocean temperatures in regions like Florida and the Mediterranean Sea reached alarming levels, affecting marine life and ecosystems
• These changes indicate broader impacts on global weather systems, oceanic circulation, and biological production.
⏭️ What's next: COP28 saw an agreement to reduce fossil fuel consumption and commitments to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency improvements by 2030. However, experts warn that current efforts are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement goals
💬 One quote: “As long as greenhouse gas concentrations keep rising we can’t expect different outcomes from those seen this year,” - Carlo Buontempo, CS3 Director
📈 One stat: July 2023, the warmest month in history, saw more than 6.5 billion people, about 81% of the global population, experiencing climate change-attributed heat
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