July 2023 breaks record as hottest month ever recorded

July 2023 has shattered the record for the hottest month ever recorded globally, surpassing July 2019 by 0.33 degrees Celsius, as announced by the European Climate Change Service (C3S) on Tuesday.

Last month, which witnessed heatwaves and wildfires across the world, saw an average temperature that was 0.72 degrees Celsius hotter compared to July months spanning from 1991 to 2020.

This outcome was highly anticipated, as scientists had indicated from July 27 that it was "very likely" for July 2023 to become the hottest month on record.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres responded to this development by stating that humanity has transitioned from the phase of climate warming to entering a "global boiling stage."

The oceans also bear witness to this alarming trend, with sea surface temperatures remaining exceptionally high since April and reaching unprecedented levels in July. A new record was set on July 30 with a temperature of 20.96 degrees Celsius, while the overall sea surface temperature for the month exceeded the average by 0.51 degrees Celsius compared to the 1991-2020 baseline.

The evidence points to a concerning direction, underscoring the urgent need for global climate action. The increase in temperatures, coupled with extreme weather events, underscores the challenges posed by climate change to our planet and its ecosystems. Efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and to transition towards a more sustainable future have become more crucial than ever before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP