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The summer of 2024 has been marked as the warmest on record for the Northern Hemisphere, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This extreme heat has raised concerns that 2024 may surpass 2023 as the hottest year globally.
During the boreal summer of June to August, the average global temperature was 0.69 degrees Celsius higher than the period from 1991 to 2020, exceeding last year’s average by 0.03 degrees Celsius. August specifically stood out, being 1.51 degrees Celsius warmer than the pre-industrial average, making it the 13th month out of the last 14 with temperatures above 1.5 degrees Celsius, a critical threshold for climate change impacts.
Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S, highlighted that the string of record temperatures in 2024 has increased the likelihood of this year being the warmest on record. The average global temperature over the past 12 months was 1.64 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, setting a new high for any 12-month period.
In Europe, August saw the second-hottest average land-based temperature ever recorded, with temperatures soaring in eastern and southern regions. However, northwestern parts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, and southern Norway experienced below-average temperatures.
Across the globe, regions like Antarctica, Canada, Mexico, Texas, Japan, China, Iran, northeast Africa, and Australia saw above-average temperatures. Conversely, areas like the eastern United States, Alaska, southern South America, Russia, Pakistan, and the Sahel experienced below-average temperatures.
Sea ice extent in the Arctic was notably low in August, marking the fourth lowest for the month in satellite data records. Antarctic sea ice extent was also the second-lowest on record. These trends, coupled with drier-than-average conditions in many regions, led to wildfires in Siberia, Canada, and Brazil.
Burgess emphasized the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the intensifying temperature-related weather extremes. Without immediate action, the consequences for both people and the planet will become increasingly devastating.
As the world grapples with the impacts of climate change, it is crucial for individuals and governments to prioritize sustainable practices and policies to safeguard the environment for future generations.