October has officially become the hottest on record globally, marking the fifth consecutive month of record-breaking average temperatures, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This continuous trend of exceptional heat positions 2023 to be the warmest year ever recorded. With temperatures surpassing historical averages by significant margins, scientists stress the urgent need for world leaders to address greenhouse gas emissions, particularly as they prepare to convene in Dubai for the COP28 climate conference this month.
Drought conditions plagued parts of the United States and Mexico in October, while other regions experienced unusually wet conditions associated with storms and cyclones, as reported by the EU’s C3S. Sea surface temperatures reached unprecedented levels for the month, driven by global warming and contributing to more intense and destructive storms.
Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of C3S, stated that October 2023 witnessed exceptional temperature anomalies, following four consecutive months of global temperature records being shattered. She emphasized the near certainty that 2023 will be the warmest year on record, currently standing at 1.43ºC above the preindustrial average. The sense of urgency for ambitious climate action heading into COP28 has never been more critical.
The Paris Agreement set temperature limits to well below 2ºC since the pre-industrial era, with a preference for 1.5ºC, measured as an average over several decades. This year also marks the onset of a warming El Niño weather phenomenon, expected to peak toward the end of 2023 and into the next year.
Very large chunk of ice at sunrise in winter
October temperatures were 1.7ºC warmer than the estimated preindustrial October average, according to Copernicus. Global average temperatures since January have consistently been the highest since records began in 1940, registering 1.43ºC above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. Scientists suggest that proxy data, such as tree rings or ice cores, indicates that temperatures observed this year could be unparalleled in human history, potentially the warmest in over 100,000 years.
Average sea surface temperatures excluding polar regions also reached all-time highs for October, reaching 20.79ºC. Oceans, having absorbed 90% of excess heat from human activities since the industrial age, play a significant role in influencing storms’ intensity and contributing to the melting of critical ice shelves.
Leaders convening at COP28 in the UAE will face a challenging progress report on the Paris pledges, as major scientific reports indicate a significant deviation from the necessary trajectory. Carbon emissions, predominantly from fossil fuels, continue to rise when they need to be halved this decade. The Earth has experienced nearly 1.2ºC of temperature rise above pre-industrial levels, resulting in calamitous weather extremes and costly impacts worldwide, from heatwaves and droughts to severe flooding in various regions.
In Canada, record wildfires, exacerbated by climate change, emitted more carbon dioxide in 2021 than the total emissions for the year. The report emphasizes the unprecedented warming, putting humanity in “uncharted territory,” with the lead author warning of the increasing danger from climate feedback loops and tipping points that could lead to irreversible climate changes. The urgency for robust climate action is emphasized as the world faces the imminent consequences of unchecked global warming.
Source: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2023/11/08/record-october-temperatures-globally-as-2023-set-to-be-hottest-in-history_6236576_114.html
Photo: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-sat-his-hand-caught-siem-dry-soil-looked-sky_5469318.htm#page=2&query=climate%20change&position=46&from_view=search&track=ais