Global heat records alarm scientists

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece here in the Financial Times or enjoy below

🗞️ Driving the news: This week saw four consecutive days of the highest daily temperature on Earth since records began in 1979, according to unofficial data
• With an average global temperature breaking the record to reach 17.23C, climate change and the El Niño phenomenon are contributing to extreme weather patterns across the globe 

🔭 The context: The University of Maine's Climate Reanalyzer tool, which utilizes satellite data and computer simulations, reported these figures
• However, these temperature readings have not been officially confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as it tracks and validates temperature records monthly and annually, not daily

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The rising temperatures are in line with the ongoing concerns about global warming
• The increase in global temperature has caused various abnormal phenomena: sea ice around Antarctica is at a record low, oceans are at historically warm levels, and last month was the warmest June ever recorded

⏭️ What's next: The escalating heat has triggered calls for curbs on power use as the demand for cooling surges
• Extreme weather patterns like high temperatures, heatwaves, and flooding are anticipated to become more common, prompting scientists and governments to take action

💬 One quote: “We haven’t seen anything like this in our history. And for me this is a tangible example of what it means to be working in uncharted territory. Climate change is not something that is going to happen in 20 or 30 years’ time, it is happening now.” (Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus)

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