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

🗞️ Driving the news: This summer set the record for the hottest in history, with global temperatures averaging 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, driven by both climate change and a strong El Niño
• The heat fueled deadly floods, wildfires, and extreme weather across the globe. 2024 is on track to be the hottest year ever recorded

🔭 The context: Fossil fuel emissions continue to rise, pushing carbon dioxide levels to heights not seen in 3 million years
• Despite past warnings, the world’s climate crisis escalates, with unprecedented impacts on both human and environmental systems

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The extreme heat stresses natural ecosystems, human health, and infrastructure, exacerbating the climate crisis and threatening global sustainability efforts

⏭️ What's next: As global temperatures climb, scientists warn that the conditions experienced this summer will seem mild in just a few years unless drastic emission reductions are implemented

💬 One quote: "If you keep doing the same thing, you cannot expect to get any different result," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service

📈 One stat: Nearly 7,000 U.S. weather stations broke daily temperature records this summer

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