2023 was Earth’s warmest on record. Will this year be even hotter?

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Record-breaking heat waves swept across the globe in 2023, with countries like Austria, Japan, and New Zealand experiencing their hottest Septembers on record
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports a high likelihood of upcoming years breaking additional heat records, emphasizing the sustained impact of climate change

🔭 The context: This follows the trend of 2023 being one of the hottest years, with temperatures significantly surpassing historical averages in various regions 
• The extreme weather is attributed to global warming and the El Niño phenomenon

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: These unprecedented temperature highs highlight the escalating impact of climate change, with potential worsening of droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events 
• This poses significant risks to ecosystems, food and water security, and human health globally

⏭️ What's next: Scientists predict that the current El Niño event will peak later this year, potentially leading to more record-breaking temperatures

💬 One quote: “There is plenty more heat waiting in the wings,” (Michael McPhaden, senior scientist at the NOAA)

Click for more news covering the latest on environmental sustainability