28-7-2023 (WASHINGTON) July is set to make history as the hottest month ever recorded, confirmed by scientists on Thursday, prompting UN chief Antonio Guterres to warn that Earth has entered an “era of global boiling.”
The sweltering heat, exacerbated by global warming, has affected tens of millions of people in various regions of Europe, Asia, and North America this month. In conjunction with the heatwaves, devastating wildfires have ravaged parts of Canada and southern Europe.
Mr. Guterres emphasized the urgent need for immediate and bold action to reduce planet-heating emissions, stating, “Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning.”
According to the World Meteorological Organisation and Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the first three weeks of July have already witnessed global average temperatures surpassing any comparable period on record since the 1940s. They assert that it is “extremely likely” that July 2023 will officially become the hottest month in recorded history.
C3S director Carlo Buontempo described the temperatures during this period as “remarkable,” with an anomaly so significant that scientists are confident the previous records have already been shattered before the month’s end.
In addition to official records, proxy data for the climate, such as tree rings or ice cores, suggests that the current temperatures could be “unprecedented in our history in the last few thousand years” and possibly even “on the order of 100,000 years.”
The relentless heat and devastating wildfires have raised serious concerns about their impact on health, ecosystems, and economies.
In response to the record-breaking heatwave in the United States, President Joe Biden called climate change an “existential threat” and announced measures to enhance heat-related safety regulations for workers, particularly those working outdoors.
July has already seen:
The hottest three-week period ever recorded.
The three hottest days on record.
The highest-ever ocean temperatures for this time of year.
It is still possible to avoid the very worst of climate change, but only with dramatic, immediate #ClimateAction.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) July 27, 2023
Beijing experienced an unprecedented streak of four weeks of highs above 35 degrees Celsius, leading authorities to urge the elderly to stay indoors and children to limit outdoor playtime.
Across the Mediterranean region, wildfires have engulfed landscapes in countries like Greece, where firefighters have been struggling to contain the blazes for two weeks.
The exceptionally warm July can be partially attributed to global average sea surface temperatures, which have been consistently higher than previous records since May, affecting a significant portion of the central Mediterranean.
The World Meteorological Organisation’s Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas, stressed the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, stating that climate action is not a luxury but a necessity.
Scientists emphasize that the world must adapt to the heat and other impacts resulting from emissions and significantly reduce carbon pollution in the coming decade to prevent more severe consequences in the future. They emphasize that climate action is imperative to address the harsh reality of climate change and safeguard the planet for future generations.
