September 2023 Sets New Global Temperature Records, Urgent Climate Action Needed
According to the recent data released by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the month of September 2023 has been declared the hottest September globally on record. The average surface air temperature for September was a shocking 0.93C above the 1991 to 2020 average for the month.
What’s even more concerning is that September 2023 surpassed the previous hottest September in 2020 by a significant margin of 0.5C. In comparison to the pre-industrial average between 1850 and 1900, the temperature anomaly was a staggering 1.75C higher. Furthermore, the global temperature for the period from January to September 2023 was 0.52C higher than average and a concerning 1.4C higher than the pre-industrial average.
On a regional scale, Europe experienced its hottest September ever recorded. Temperatures soared to an alarming 2.51C higher than the 1991 to 2020 average. Climate scientists worldwide have expressed their shock and concern over these unprecedented figures. One scientist even went so far as to call the data “absolutely gobsmackingly bananas.”
These record-breaking temperatures serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for ambitious climate action. As we look ahead to the upcoming Conference of the Parties 28 (COP28), which will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the timing of this news becomes even more significant.
However, the UAE’s plans to increase fossil fuel production and consumption have raised questions about its suitability as the host of the COP summit. Critics argue that the country’s actions contradict the global push for renewable energy and carbon neutrality.
The consequences of these escalating temperatures are dire. Experts warn that they pose a “death sentence” for both humans and ecosystems. Infrastructure and agriculture are expected to bear the brunt of these impacts, leading to severe disruptions and potential devastation.
The urgency for swift and decisive action on climate change could not be clearer. It is imperative that world leaders come together at COP28 to address this global crisis and take significant steps towards a sustainable future. The survival of our planet and all its inhabitants hangs in the balance.
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