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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the the full piece on Time or enjoy below
🗞️ Driving the news: According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Earth has just experienced the hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever documented, with August being the hottest month ever recorded with modern equipment, surpassed only by July 2023
🔭 The context: August's temperatures were approximately 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial averages, which crosses the critical threshold that global efforts aim to stay below
• The world's oceans, accounting for over 70% of Earth's surface, hit their highest recorded temperatures, marking the third consecutive month of breaking records
🌎 Why it matters for the planet: The persistent escalation in temperature underlines the acceleration of climate change
• The world's current trajectory is concerning, with 2023 being the second hottest year, trailing only 2016
⏭️ What's next: Projections suggest that the Earth may experience a year averaging 1.5°C above mid 19th-century temperatures within the next five years
• There's also a 98% probability of surpassing the 2016 temperature record by 2027
💬 One quote: “It’s time for global leaders to start telling the truth. We will not limit warming to 1.5 C; we will not limit warming to 2.0 C. It’s all hands on deck now to prevent 3.0 C global warming.” (Andrew Weaver, Climatologist)
📈 One stat: Scientists estimate that the current temperatures surpass any within the past 120,000 years
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