This was another year passing by with empty promises of controlling climate change
On November 17, 2023, the world breached 2°C of warming. A number we were constantly warned of not crossing. This new data was part of a preliminary analysis from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
According to experts, this short-term breach of the 2°C is associated with the climate phenomenon El Nino and long-term human-caused climate forcing. Scientists have also warned that El Nino, a warm phase of a recurring climate pattern, has gained strength. These conditions started emerging in the spring of 2023 and developed rapidly during summer, reaching a moderate level by September 2023, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
The year 2023 has broken several records when it comes to extreme heat. The 2023 State of Climate Report highlighted that the world has already witnessed 38 days with global average temperatures above 1.5°C by 12 September — more than any other year.
Also, June through August of this year was the warmest period ever recorded. There is more. Global and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures both broke records. The Amazon was in the grips of a record-breaking drought, with water levels of River Negro, the largest tributary of the Amazon River, reaching their lowest level in 120 years, affecting navigation on the river Amazon and the electricity supply to local towns and villages. The last 12 months have been the warmest in the last 125,000 years, with temperatures reaching 1.32°C above the pre-industrial era.
This was another year passing by with empty promises of controlling climate change. The scientific community is bracing for a potentially worse 2024. And sadly, it's the vulnerable communities that are going to be on the frontline in facing the impact of the worst case of human negligence.
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