2023 to become hottest year as September breaks temperature records
New data from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service reveals that 2023 is on track to become the hottest year on record. The global mean temperature this year is 0.52 degrees Celsius higher than average. Last month was the warmest September ever recorded, with temperatures 0.93 degrees Celsius above the average for the same month between 1991-2020. The global temperature between January and September is also 1.4 degrees higher than the preindustrial average.
El Nino and climate change fuel temperature spikes
Scientists believe the recent record-breaking temperatures are due to a mix of climate change and this year's El Nino weather pattern. El Nino warms the surface waters in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, contributing to higher global temperatures. Broadly speaking, El Nino has an effect not only on ocean temperatures but also on the speed and intensity of ocean currents, coastal fisheries, and local weather conditions from Australia to South America and beyond.
Sea surface temperatures reach new highs
In September, the average sea surface temperature reached 20.92 degrees Celsius, setting a new record for September and making it the second highest across all months, behind August this year. Antarctic sea ice extent remained at a record low level for this time of year, while Arctic Sea ice extent was 18% below average. Copernicus's report is based on billions of assessments from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations.
High temperatures have fueled extreme weather events worldwide
As nations gear up for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), the need for ambitious climate action has never been more urgent. 2022 did not set a record, but the global temperatures were still 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial times. The former record belonged to 2016 and 2020 when temperatures were higher by an average of 1.25 degrees Celsius. September alone saw devastating flooding in Libya, Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey, while Canada faced an unprecedented wildfire season.
'We absolutely must agree to phase out fossil fuels'
"The significant margin by which the September record was broken should be a wake-up call for policymakers and negotiators ahead of COP28," said Friederike Otto, from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, UK. "We absolutely must agree to phase out fossil fuels."
