Earth just experienced its hottest three months on record, according to the European Union-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). At the same time, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports global sea surface temperatures are at unprecedented highs for the third consecutive month and Antarctic sea ice extent remains at a record low for the time of year. The developments come as the climate crisis is already having a devastating impact on people and ecosystems and fueling hunger and conflict in the world's worst crisis hotspots.
According to WMO, last month was the hottest August on record – by a large margin – and the second hottest ever month after July 2023, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. August as a whole is estimated to have been around 1.5°C warmer than the preindustrial average for 1850-1900.
“Our planet has just endured a season of simmering - the hottest summer on record. Climate breakdown has begun. Scientists have long warned what our fossil fuel addiction will unleash”, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres Wednesday, responding to the announcement.
He said climate was imploding faster than the world could cope with extreme weather events hitting every corner of the planet
"Surging temperatures demand a surge in action. Leaders must turn up the heat now for climate solutions. We can still avoid the worst of climate chaos – and we don’t have a moment to lose", Guterres said.
According to WMO, the year so far - January to August - is the second warmest on record behind 2016, when there was a powerful warming El Niño event. August as a whole saw the highest global monthly average sea surface temperatures on record across all months, at 20.98°C. Temperatures exceeded the previous record from March 2016 every single day in August.
“The northern hemisphere just had a summer of extremes – with repeated heatwaves fuelling devastating wildfires, harming health, disrupting daily lives and wreaking a lasting toll on the environment”, said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
Meanwhile, Antarctic sea ice extent remained at a record low level for the time of year, with a monthly value 12 percent below average, by far the largest negative anomaly for August since satellite observations began in the late 1970s. Arctic sea ice extent was 10 percent below average, but well above the record minimum of August 2012.
“In the southern hemisphere Antarctic sea ice extent was literally off the charts, and the global sea surface temperature was once again at a new record. It is worth noting that this is happening BEFORE we see the full warming impact of the El Niño event, which typically plays out in the second year after it develops”, Taalas stressed.
A report in May from WMO and the United Kingdom's Met Office predicted that there is a 98 percent likelihood that at least one of the next five years will be the warmest on record and a 66 percent chance of temporarily exceeding 1.5°C above the 1850-1900 average for at least one of the five years.
“What we are observing, not only new extremes but the persistence of these record-breaking conditions, and the impacts these have on both people and planet, are a clear consequence of the warming of the climate system,” said Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
Experts predict that the effects of climate change will intensify in the coming years, leading to extreme weather events that will result in a further increase in humanitarian emergencies and exacerbate ongoing crisis situations.
In another development related to the climate crisis, the Africa Climate Summit ended in Kenya Wednesday with leaders calling on the global community to act urgently to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fulfill its obligations and keep financial promises to fight climate change.
Speaking on behalf of the other African heads of state present at the Africa Climate Summit, Kenyan President William Ruto said the agreement reached at the conference shows the seriousness of African states to help solve the climate change crisis.
"The Africa Climate Summit is both a demonstration of the unwavering collective commitment of the people of Africa to their vision to make humanity's first home here in Africa, a land of abundant potential, limitless opportunity, and the possibility of shared prosperity," he said.
"It also showcases our determination to mobilize a global coalition of emergency responders to ensure that the industrialization necessary to drive future economic transformation restores our planet's vitality and ecological balance."
The summit, which began Monday, focused on green growth in Africa and finding financing solutions to support the programs aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change, which affects the continent’s estimated 1.3 billion people.
African leaders underscored they are committed to developing and implementing policies, regulations and incentives to attract local, regional and global investment in the push for green growth. The Nairobi declaration, leaders said, will serve as the foundation for Africa's united position in the global climate change initiative.
According to the United Nations, African countries spend 5-15 percent of its GDP to combat climate change, despite being the lowest contributor to global warming.
Developed countries have promised to give at least US$100 billion annually to fight the impacts of climate change, a fund many say has been hard to come by. At the summit, UN chief Guterres said an additional US$20 billion is needed to help mitigate Africa’s unpredictable weather patterns.
President Ruto said Africa needs access to global finances to support communities and pay its debts.
"We demand a fair playing ground for our countries to access the investment needed to unlock the potential and translate it into opportunities. We further demand to adjust multilateral development finance architecture to liberate our economies from odious debt and onerous barriers to necessary financial resources," he said.
African leaders emphasize that for the continent to undergo economic transformation, it needs to increase renewable generation capacity. They also say Africa needs access to technology and trade mechanisms that enable products from the continent to compete on fair and equitable terms.
Some information for this report provided by VOA.
Further information
Full text: Earth had hottest three-month period on record, with unprecedented sea surface temperatures and much extreme weather, World Meteorological Organization, press release, published September 6, 2023
https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/earth-had-hottest-three-month-period-record-unprecedented-sea-surface