Global temperatures have risen to extraordinary levels, making June 2024 the hottest June on record, as reported by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
Continuous Rise in Temperatures
This is the 13th consecutive month of record-breaking heat, raising concerns that 2024 might surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record. Experts attribute this ongoing trend to a combination of human-induced climate change and the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, predicts with 95% certainty that 2024 will exceed 2023 as the warmest year since global temperature records began in the mid-1800s.
Devastating Impacts Worldwide
The consequences of this extreme heat have been devastating globally. In June, India struggled with a deadly heatwave that claimed hundreds of lives, predominantly in densely populated urban centers like New Delhi. The Indian Meteorological Department recorded temperatures surpassing 45°C for several consecutive days, overwhelming healthcare systems and prompting emergency measures.
The tragedy also struck during the Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, where over 1,000 fatalities were attributed to the intense heat. Similar heat-related deaths occurred among tourists in Greece, highlighting the widespread reach of this climate crisis.
Urgent Calls for Action
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute, highlights the urgent need for action, stating, “We can’t control El Niño, but we can curb our reliance on oil, gas, and coal.”
This sentiment aligns with the scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels are the main driver of climate change. Despite global commitments to limit warming, efforts to reduce emissions have been insufficient. Over the past 12 months, the world’s average temperature has exceeded the pre-industrial average by 1.64 degrees Celsius, the highest for any such period on record.
Moving Forward
As the world transitions from El Niño conditions to the anticipated cooler La Niña later this year, climate experts stress that only rapid and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can halt the alarming trend of rising global temperatures.
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