Greenhouse gas emissions are a key driver of climate change.
According to the American space agency NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earth experienced the warmest June-August period on record this year. It was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the warmest winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
The months of June, July and August were 0.23 degrees Celsius warmer than any previous summer in NASA records and 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than the average summer between 1951 and 1980. Additionally, the temperature in August was 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than usual. It should be noted that meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere lasts from June to August.
This new record comes as a global heat wave intensified wildfires in Canada and Hawaii and led to intense heat in South America, Japan, Europe and the United States, according to NASA.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement: “The record summer temperatures of 2023 are not just a bunch of numbers – they have dire real-world consequences. From oppressive temperatures in Arizona and across the country to wildfires across Canada and extreme flooding in Europe and Asia, extreme weather conditions are threatening lives and livelihoods around the world.”
Greenhouse gas emissions have been identified as the main cause of climate change and the global warming trend that led to such a sultry summer. NOAA Chief Scientist Sarah Kapnick said: “Last month was not only by far the warmest August on record, it was also the 45th consecutive August in the world and the 534th consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th day average .century. “Global ocean heat.” Waves and a growing El Nino are adding additional warming this year, but as long as emissions continue to provide steady background warming, we expect more records to be broken in the coming years.”
The tropical Pacific Ocean is experiencing El Nino, a natural climate trend characterized by above-average sea surface temperatures. The phenomenon could have far-reaching consequences, often leading to colder, wetter weather in the southwestern United States and drought in Western Pacific countries such as Australia and Indonesia, according to NASA.
“Unfortunately, climate change is happening. Things that we said would happen will happen. And it will get worse if we continue to emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into our atmosphere,” said Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist at the space agency.
Source : www.ndtv.com