The year 2023 has been declared as the hottest year in 174 years of observations, according to the report "State of the Global Climate in 2023" by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) at the UN.
The report highlights that 2023 saw the highest global surface temperature on record, surpassing the pre-industrial baseline by 1.45°C. It also marked the warmest decade in history. Records were broken in greenhouse gas levels, land temperatures, ocean heat content, ocean acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice extent, and glacier retreat.
Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and intensifying tropical cyclones have caused suffering and chaos, disrupting the lives of millions and resulting in economic damages worth billions of dollars.
The UN emphasizes that nearly a third of the world's oceans were affected by marine heatwaves in 2023, impacting crucial ecological and food systems. By the end of the year, over 90% of the ocean surface had been affected by heatwaves.
Climate change is not just about rising temperatures. The unprecedented warming of the oceans, glacier retreat, and loss of Antarctic sea ice observed in 2023 are particularly concerning, as stated by WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
The report notes that the long-term increase in global temperatures is driven by the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
UN meteorologists warn that 2024 could be even warmer, highlighting the urgent need for climate action to mitigate the impacts of global warming..
