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

🗞️ Driving the news: The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service declared July as the hottest month in 174 years, with August trailing closely behind
• This summer, the U.S., parts of Europe, Asia, and South America had intense heat waves and broke several temperature records

🔭 The context: This summer saw the epitome of a continuation of 534th consecutive warmer-than-average months, a span exceeding 44 years, as indicated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• The consistent rise in warmth, is partially driven by the El Niño climate pattern, which is expected to persist through winter

🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: The current situation is escalating faster than our ability to adapt, with extreme weather events impacting the entire globe

⏭️ What's next: After setting records for the hottest July and June, 2023 is pacing to be the second-warmest year on record
• Heat waves continue to prevail across regions like the Eastern US and Western Europe

💬 One quote: "Our climate is imploding faster than we can cope with extreme weather events hitting every corner of the planet” (António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN)

📈 One stat: The change in global temperatures is also affecting the sea, NOAA reported that about 48% of the global ocean was in a marine heat wave

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