Global temperatures reached record highs on Monday, surpassing the previous day’s record as Europe, Asia, and North America experienced extreme heat. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the global average surface air temperature on July 22 reached 17.15 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record set on Sunday by 0.06 degrees Celsius. This trend of increasing temperatures has been tracked by the C3S since 1940, with climate scientists warning that continued burning of fossil fuels will lead to even hotter temperatures unless emissions are reduced to reach net zero.
Climate scientist Joyce Kimutai from Imperial College London emphasized that the current heatwave is a direct result of the continued use of coal, oil, and gas, and temperatures will continue to rise until fossil fuel emissions are reduced. Recent high temperatures have been recorded in Japan, Indonesia, China, Gulf countries, and Europe, with some areas experiencing temperatures exceeding 60 degrees Celsius with humidity factored in. As climate change intensifies, extreme weather patterns such as heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods are becoming more frequent and severe, impacting regions across the globe.
The rise in global temperatures comes after Europe endured a severe heatwave in 2023 that resulted in devastating wildfires, attributed to the El Nino weather pattern warming the Pacific Ocean. Climate scientist Karsten Haustein from Leipzig University suggested that Monday’s temperatures may have set a new global record for the warmest absolute global average temperature in tens of thousands of years. This ongoing trend of record-breaking temperatures, with each month since June 2023 surpassing its own temperature record, is unprecedented. C3S Director Carlo Buontempo described this 13-month streak as “truly staggering” and emphasized the urgent need to address climate change.
The impact of climate change is evident in the extreme weather events occurring worldwide, with heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods becoming more severe. The record-breaking temperatures on Monday highlight the urgent need for global action to reduce fossil fuel emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. Scientists warn that without significant reductions in emissions, temperatures will continue to rise, leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves, as well as other extreme weather events. The recent heatwave serves as a stark reminder of the importance of transitioning to renewable energy sources and implementing measures to combat climate change.
