June 2024 has been confirmed as the hottest June on record, marking the 13th consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This streak indicates that 2024 might surpass 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded globally.
Scientists attribute this trend to both human-induced climate change and the influence of the El Nino weather phenomenon, which have collectively pushed global temperatures to unprecedented levels.
Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, estimates a 95% likelihood that 2024 will set a new record for global surface temperatures since records began in the mid-19th century.
The consequences of climate change in 2024 have already proven severe. Over 1,000 fatalities occurred due to extreme heat during the Hajj pilgrimage last month. Similar heat-related deaths were reported in New Delhi during an unusually prolonged heatwave, as well as among tourists in Greece.
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute, emphasized the critical role of reducing fossil fuel consumption in mitigating these extreme weather events. She noted that while El Nino is a natural occurrence that temporarily warms Pacific Ocean waters, human activities exacerbate its impact.
Despite international commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions, global efforts have yet to effectively reduce these pollutants, resulting in a steady rise in global temperatures over the decades.
As of June, the average global temperature over the past 12 months exceeded historical norms by 1.64 degrees Celsius, underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change through sustained global action.
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