After confirming that July was on track to be the world’s hottest month on record, scientists declared that the era of global warming was over, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who stated that “the era of global boiling has arrived.”
The climate is changing. It is frightful. And it’s only the beginning, according to Guterres. “It is still possible to prevent the worst effects of climate change by keeping the increase in global temperature to 1.5C [above pre-industrial levels]. But only if drastic, quick climate action is taken.
Scientists confirmed on Thursday that the previous three weeks were the hottest on record, and, July is on track to be the hottest month ever recorded, a dangerous stage of global warming , prompting UN chief Guterres’ remarks.
Global temperatures this month have shattered records, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation programme, stoked by the burning of fossil fuels and spurring violent weather.
The steady rise in global average temperatures, driven by pollution that traps sunlight and acts like a greenhouse around the Earth, has made weather extremes worse.
“Humanity is in the hot seat,” Guterres told a press conference on Thursday. “For vast parts of North America, Asia, Africa and Europe, it is a cruel summer. For the entire planet, it is a disaster. And for scientists, it is unequivocal – humans are to blame.
“All this is entirely consistent with predictions and repeated warnings. The only surprise is the speed of the change. Climate change is here, it is terrifying, and it is just the beginning. The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”
Time to take swift action.
Guterres urged politicians to take swift action. “The air is unbreathable, the heat is unbearable, and the level of fossil fuel profits and climate inaction is unacceptable. Leaders must lead. No more hesitancy, no more excuses, no more waiting for others to move first. There is simply no more time for that.
“It is still possible to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C and avoid the very worst of climate change but only with dramatic, immediate climate action. We have seen some progress – a robust rollout of renewables and some positive steps from sectors such as shipping – but none of this is going far enough or fast enough. Accelerating temperatures demand accelerated action.”
The WMO secretary general, Petteri Taalas, said: “The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever before. Climate action is not a luxury but a must.”
Other climate scientists confirmed the findings. Karsten Haustein at Leipzig University found the world was 1.5C (2.7F) hotter in July 2023 than in the average July before industrialisation.
Temperatures this month had been “so outrageous” that scientists could predict it would be the warmest on record, even before it was over, he said.
Haustein took global temperature estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US . He found that July 2023 was likely to beat the previous record from 2019 by 0.2C.