2023 warmest on record, temperature rise nears 1.5 degree C threshold
New Delhi: Last year shattered temperature records, becoming the hottest ever documented, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The average global temperature rose even closer to the critical 1.5-degree Celsius threshold compared to pre-industrial levels, raising alarm bells about climate change’s accelerating impacts.
C3S scientists warn that a 12-month period ending in January or February 2024 could breach the 1.5-degree limit, underscoring the urgency of climate action. However, it’s crucial to remember that this potential short-term transgression doesn’t signify a permanent violation of the Paris Agreement’s target, which focuses on long-term warming trends.
2023 marked a historic milestone: the first year where the average daily global temperature consistently exceeded 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). Nearly half of the year’s days witnessed temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial values, and for the first time, two days in November even soared past 2 degrees Celsius.
Compared to earlier records, 2023 stands out. Its global average temperature reached 14.98 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous high of 2016 by 0.17 degrees Celsius. It was a scorching 0.60 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1991-2020 average and a concerning 1.48 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Furthermore, C3S noted that every month from June to December in 2023 experienced unprecedented warmth, outpacing any corresponding month in history. September 2023 holds the record for the largest temperature deviation from the 1991-2020 average, at a staggering 0.93 degrees Celsius. October, November, and December each tied for second place, with temperatures 0.85 degrees Celsius higher than the average for those months. C3S attributes this unprecedented heat to record-high concentrations of greenhouse gases, with carbon dioxide and methane reaching 419 parts per million and 1902 parts per billion, respectively. Additionally, the ongoing El Nino event, though not as strong as those in 1997 and 2015, contributed to the overall warmth of 2023.
