Earth just sweltered through the hottest summer in recorded history

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

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change