Scientists Say 2024 Likely to be Hottest Year Ever as Global Temperatures Skyrocket
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19 July 2024 13:21 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Global temperatures are soaring, with last month being the hottest June ever recorded, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This worrying trend extends to the past 13 months, from June 2023 to July, each surpassing previous years in terms of heat, as reported by Earth.com.
Human activity and natural weather phenomena, such as El Nino, a periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean, are pushing temperatures to unprecedented levels.
“I now estimate that there is an approximately 95% chance that 2024 beats 2023 to be the warmest year since global surface temperature records began in the mid-1800s,” stated Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at the American non-profit Berkeley Earth.
Tragically, the consequences of extreme heat are already being felt. Last June, over 1,000 lives were lost during a brutal heatwave in the Hajj pilgrimage region. Casualties due to scorching temperatures were also reported in New Delhi, a city known for its relentless summer heat.
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, agreed with Hausfather's assessment. However, he emphasized the importance of addressing human-caused factors like burning fossil fuels, unlike the cyclical El Nino phenomenon.
While El Nino has temporarily boosted global temperatures, the world is currently in a neutral state, and cooler La Nina conditions are expected later this year.
Data from C3S confirms that June 2024 was the hottest ever compared to pre-industrial levels (1850-1900). Greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, are the main cause of climate change.
Despite international efforts to curb this warming threat, global emissions continue to rise, leading to a relentless increase in temperatures over decades. The average global temperature for the past year, ending June 2024, is the highest ever recorded, exceeding pre-industrial levels by a concerning 1.64 degrees Celsius.
ABDUL MANAN
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