Since June 2023, every month has set new temperature highs. Global sea surface and Antarctic sea ice are at unprecedented extremes. Last month, the EU's climate program declared it the warmest February on record, with a global average temperature of 56.3°F (13.54°C), surpassing the 2016 record by 0.21°F (0.12°C).
Alarmingly, this is 1.45°F (0.81°C) higher than the 1991-2020 global average for February, attributed to greenhouse gas emissions. EU scientists confirmed 2023 as the hottest year on record, with July setting a record for the hottest month.
(Photo : Pixabay/geralt)
February Continues Record-Breaking Warmth
Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), notes that February extends the ongoing streak of record-breaking months, attributed to the persistent warming of the climate system due to escalating greenhouse gas concentrations.
C3S, overseen by the European Commission, gathers temperature data from various sources, providing global average air temperature readings. February 2024 marks the ninth consecutive month of record warmth, surpassing the pre-industrial reference period of 1850-1900 by 3.18°F (1.77°C).
Global temperatures in the first half of February exceeded the 1850-1900 levels by 3.6°F (2°C) for four consecutive days. While influenced by the Pacific's El Niño weather phenomenon, human-induced climate change remains the primary driver of rising temperatures.
Professor Celeste Saulo, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, emphasizes the role of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, with carbon dioxide concentrations reaching unprecedented levels over the past two million years.
Severe heatwaves affected regions like western Australia, southeast Asia, southern Africa, and South America. The 12-month average temperature now stands at 1.56°C above pre-industrial levels, nearing the threshold set by the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The recurring record-breaking temperatures underscore the urgency of addressing climate change.
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Unprecedented Climate Records: Global Sea Highs Challenge Antarctic Ice
Recent climate records go beyond air temperatures, encompassing various unprecedented metrics. Sea surface temperatures consistently break records, challenging the El Niño explanation. Professor Saulo notes that while El Niño impacts the equatorial Pacific, globally elevated sea surface temperatures for the past ten months defy a simple El Niño explanation.
Unusually warm waters contribute to exceptional Antarctic sea-ice months, with the lowest extents in the satellite era occurring in the last three years. This raises concerns about Antarctic sea ice's response to climate change, coinciding with other global records. Glaciologist Professor Martin Siegert notes this simultaneous occurrence is alarming, and the situation is unprecedented.
Despite the gradual weakening of the 2023-24 El Niño, considered among the five strongest by the World Meteorological Organization, a shift to neutral conditions is expected between April and June. This may be followed by La Niña between June and August, temporarily cooling global air temperatures.
However, this emphasizes the overarching impact of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions on long-term warming trends. The urgency for sustainable energy practices to mitigate climate change effects is underlined by climate scientist Dr. Friederike Otto, who emphasizes the need to replace fossil fuels with renewable sources to address extreme weather events intensified by climate change, which continue to pose threats to lives and livelihoods.
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