Scientists from the United Nations and the European Union announced Thursday that the first three weeks of July are the three hottest weeks on record and that the month was almost certainly the hottest in recorded history.
“Unless an ice age suddenly appears, it is almost certain that we will break the record for the warmest July on record and the hottest month on record,” Carlo Buentempo, director of the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service. , in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), told the Associated Press.
“The era of global warming is over; the era of global turmoil has arrived,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a concise summary of the findings. during a press conference.
“Many scientists, including those at Copernicus, say it is almost certain that these temperatures are the warmest the planet has seen in 120,000 years, given what we know from millennia of climate data.” , CNN reported.
Prolonged heat wave
This week, approximately 150 million Americans are sweltering under heat warnings as the month-long heat wave ravaging the Southwest and Florida recently spread to the Midwest and Northeast. In Washington, D.C., the heat index, which combines heat and humidity, is expected to reach 104°F on Thursday and 107°F on Friday.
In El Paso, Texas, temperatures exceeded 100°F for a record 41 consecutive days. Phoenix has exceeded 110°F for 26 consecutive days, set a new national record. Pavement temperatures can reach 170°F in these conditions and burn patients who have fallen on the sidewalk or touched a doorknob. fill burn units in Las VegasThe Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Such extremes were also observed around the world for much of the summer. Last month was by far the hottest June on record globally. July 6 set a new record for the hottest global average temperature by surpassing the previous record, set in August 2016. Since July 3, every day has been the hottest day on that date.
The dangers are numerous
Emergency doctors in cities experiencing extreme heat waves say they are seeing a sharp increase in the number of patients suffering from heat-related illnesses. Extreme heat also increases the risk of life-threatening cardiovascular problems like heart failure.
“This is the worst summer in recent memory,” said Frank LoVecchio, an emergency room doctor at a Phoenix hospital. recently told NBC News.
Extreme heat also poses a challenge as power grids attempt to keep pace with growing demand for air conditioning. The 13-state eastern U.S. grid operator, PJM Interconnection LLC, spanning from Washington, D.C. to Illinois, issued a Level 1 Energy Emergency Alert on Thursday, meaning it “concerns about its ability to maintain adequate energy reserves.” according to Bloomberg News.
Although Thursday’s announcement focused on air temperatures, the oceans were also affected. A buoy in Manatee Bay, Florida, recently recorded the hottest water temperature in world history: a hot tub-like temperature of 101.1°F.
What is the cause of rising temperatures
Scientists say the cause of this extreme heat is climate change caused by the continued burning of fossil fuels.
“The extreme weather conditions that affected millions of people in July are unfortunately the harsh reality of climate change and a foretaste of the future,” Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General, said in a statement. “The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever. »
Like 2016, 2023 is a year characterized by an El Niño weather phenomenon, a band of warm ocean water that causes temperatures to rise. But scientists’ note that the reason recent El Niño years have been the warmest in history is that base temperatures are steadily rising, thanks to increased emissions.
Global surface temperatures are currently about 0.2 to 0.3°C warmer than last year, consistent with the transition from La Niña to El Niño. BOTH years are warmer than any previous year – and this is where the profound impact of fossil fuel burning and carbon pollution is evident. pic.twitter.com/4U3HLYqx6R
– Professor Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) July 27, 2023
“Years with El Niño events tend to be warmer than other years, but the inexorable rise in temperatures due to climate change adds permanent El Niño heat to the Earth’s atmosphere every 5 to 10 years” , said researcher Zeke Hausfather. Berkeley Earth scientist, said in a statement.
A separate study published Tuesday by the research organization World Weather Attribution, determined that July’s extreme heatwaves would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change. The study reveals that global warming has made the current heat wave in southern Europe, which caused violent forest fires2.5°C (4.5°F) warmer.
World leaders respond
On Thursday, Guterres called on leaders of the largest economies to set new, more ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a sentiment echoed by climate scientists.
Later in the day, President Biden announced a new set of measures to combat extreme heat, including ordering the Department of Labor to increase inspections of potentially hazardous workplaces and step up enforcement of labor violations. thermal safety.
“I don’t think anyone can deny the impact of climate change anymore,” Biden said.