Climate report sounds alarm: 2023 set to rewrite temperature records
Even though we've yet to reach December, the UN has already issued an alert. The year 2023 is predicted to be the hottest on record, replacing the term "global warming" with "climate breakdown".
The steadily increasing temperature of our planet is one of today's most crucial issues. Numerous observations and studies suggest that a climate catastrophe is imminent—if we haven't crossed the point of no return already. Unfortunately, recent reports are not optimistic.
Eleven months of 2023 have now ended, bringing us closer to a year-end summary. The United Nations, among others, has produced a preliminary climate report that delivers a stark conclusion: 2023 is set to be the hottest year in the history of recorded temperatures.
"Record-breaking global heat should send shivers down the spines of world leaders and prompt immediate action," commented UN Secretary-General António Guterres, gravely.
"Climate Breakdown is Happening Now". It's Time to Move Beyond Warnings
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is now 50% higher than in the pre-industrial era, producing irreversible effects. More alarmingly, the Earth's average temperature has risen by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit since the Industrial Revolution. Although seemingly negligible, it's leading to disastrous results.
"Our climate is breaking down right at this moment, and the consequences are overwhelming. From the deadly Cyclone Daniel in Linia in September, through devastating floods in the Horn of Africa, enduring five consecutive seasons of drought, and severe air pollution from forest fires in Canada, the report underscores the harsh impact of climate shock on people's lives, health, and livelihoods," António Guterres revealed while opening the COP28 climate conference.
In 2015, global leaders agreed that the top priority for humanity is to keep the temperature increase below 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures above this limit could have severe repercussions for all of us. However, we are perilously close to crossing this threshold, a mere eight years after setting it.
Changes are evident not only in escalating temperatures and natural catastrophes. The ice cover over the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean) saw a decrease at the end of winter season—386,102 square miles smaller than the previous record.
The COP28 summit commenced on November 30 in Dubai and will run until December 12. This annual conference originates from the 1992 climate agreement.
