- Earth surpasses 2.7F warming
- Scientists warn of dire consequences
- Climate change triggers natural calamities
It has been twelve months since Earth surpassed a warming trend of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5C) since the scientific monitoring of global temperatures began.
Scientists issued a “warning to humanity” regarding this on Thursday when the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union (C3S) released the measurement.
According to scientists, the combination of El Niño and global warming likely contributed to the highest recorded temperature of the year in the past 100,000 years.
The 2.7-degree figure, which pertains to the period from February 2023 to January 2024, was calculated relative to temperatures observed during the pre-industrial era, which ceased around 1900.
Continuing to use fossil fuels instead of renewable energy would worsen this trend, according to climate scientists.
The veracity of global warming projections is contingent upon the data’s quality, and these projections invariably incorporate an element of uncertainty; consequently, there is an inconsistent history of accurate predictions being realised.
Predictions Versus Climate Realities
Certain forecasts, such as ExxonMobil’s longstanding estimate regarding the contribution of fossil fuels to global warming, have been validated.
Others, such as Paul Ehrlich’s 1970 forecast that 100–200 million people annually would dwindle to death by 1980, have not.
The extent to which the grave predictions regarding the future of our planet materialise is yet to be seen.
As stipulated in the Paris climate agreement, the maximum allowable increase in average global temperature is 2.7 degrees.
They cautioned that failure to do so would result in irreparable damage to both the Earth and future generations.
Scientists have noted that this one-year average does not indicate that Earth has permanently crossed the line. Despite this, the new milestone represents a significant threshold. Global averages are calculated over decades, not single years.
However, 2023 was the warmest year ever recorded, and January of last year was the warmest on record.
Emissions Cut to Combat Climate
“Rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to halt global temperatures increasing.” C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess told the South China Morning Post.
Despite the long-term nature of these trends, the heat’s effects are already evident.
Many of the natural calamities that occurred in the previous year were directly attributable to climate change: wildfires in Chile, droughts in New Zealand, and floods in Spain. The enumeration continues.
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“As we approach 1.5 degrees Celsius, the social and economic costs become increasingly apparent,” said Johan Rockstrom of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in an interview with AFP.
These catastrophes, apart from causing damage to produce and property, also have fatal consequences. More than one hundred individuals have perished thus far in the Chilean conflagration.
“1.5 is an enormous number that severely harms humanity in terms of water scarcity, heat waves, droughts, and floods, as well as intensified storms,” Rockstrom stated. The year 2023 has taught us that.
Furthermore, the outlook for 2024 is not much brighter.
