Record-breaking Heat: The Last Twelve Months Surpassed All Previous Temperature Records!
The year 2024 has started off with a scorching heatwave, as January 2024 was declared the warmest January on record globally. This unprecedented heat is primarily attributed to ongoing human-driven climate change, which has raised global temperatures to new extremes.
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average temperature for the 13 months since the start of 2023 is 1.50°C above the 1850-1900 level. This trend is supported by data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which also indicates above-average temperatures in various regions such as the North Pole, Africa, South America, and Australia.
Notably, Africa and South America experienced their warmest Januarys on record, as per NOAA data. Additionally, sea surface temperatures have been at record levels for ten consecutive months, as per Copernicus data, suggesting a continuous upward trend in global average temperatures.
The global temperature comparison in Copernicus' data is made with the 1850-1900 level, rather than the 1991-2020 reference period used in some previous reports. This shift in reference period underscores the long-term warming trend that has occurred since the pre-industrial era.
However, Copernicus' data does not provide specific information about regional temperature trends. For instance, NOAA has reported above-average temperatures in the North Pole, northern Canada, central Russia, southern and western Asia, and other regions.
The World Meteorological Organization, NASA, NOAA, Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the Japan Meteorological Agency all agree on January 2024 being the warmest January on record. Furthermore, Copernicus predicts that the global average temperature for the 12 months ending in January 2024 will be higher than the 12-month average for the period ending in January 2023.
The world's current global average temperature trend, as predicted by Copernicus, is approaching the target set out in the Paris Agreement. However, the record warmth in January 2024 and the ongoing temperature rise highlight the need for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience against the escalating risks of extreme heat events.
The potential implications of January 2024 being the warmest January on record include a continuation and intensification of extreme heat events globally, increased likelihood of surpassing temperature thresholds that lead to irreversible climate impacts, and challenges for emergency response and adaptation strategies.
In conclusion, the record warmth in January 2024 reflects a new climate reality driven predominantly by human activities. It underscores the urgent need for emission reductions and resilience planning to mitigate escalating heat-related risks.
Science has shown that the ongoing climate-change, a result of human-driven activities, has significantly contributed to the record-breaking heatwave in January 2024. This extreme weather is a concerning trend for environmental-science specialists, as it hints at a potential intensification of future heat events.
