“Raging Infernos: How Human-Caused Climate Change is Fueling Wildfires Worldwide”
The month of June 2024 marked the thirteenth consecutive month of record-breaking global temperatures, as reported by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). Utilizing data from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations worldwide, the C3S revealed that June 2024 was the warmest globally on record, with average air temperatures reaching 16.6 °C. This was 0.67°C higher than the average for June from 1991-2020 and 0.14°C above the previous high set in June of the previous year.
Furthermore, June 2024 was 1.5°C above the estimated June average for 1850-1900, a period used as a benchmark by the Paris Agreement. Despite this being the twelfth consecutive month to surpass this threshold, it does not indicate a failure by world leaders to meet the international target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century, as this target is measured over a longer period.
The trend of rising global temperatures has been linked to an increase in extreme weather events, such as wildfires, which are exacerbated by human-caused climate change resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. Avinash Kumar Chanchal, campaign manager of Greenpeace South Asia, emphasized the need for polluting corporations to be held accountable for the damage they have caused, allowing communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
According to international climate scientists, a global warming of 1.5°C will lead to the loss of 70-90% of tropical coral reefs, while a 2°C increase will almost entirely wipe them out. The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, with sea surface temperatures reaching record highs in June 2024 at 20.85°C, marking the fifteenth consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures.
In Europe, temperatures in June were near or below average in western regions, while southeastern areas experienced above-average temperatures. Outside of Europe, regions such as eastern Canada, the western United States, Mexico, Brazil, northern Siberia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Antarctica saw temperatures well above average.
Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, highlighted the significance of these findings, stating that the continuous warming trend signifies a significant shift in our climate. He emphasized the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further damage to the environment and oceans. The data provided by the C3S serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for global action to address human-caused climate change and its devastating consequences.