Alarming trends in global temperatures have climate scientists deeply concerned. Data from Berkeley Earth has revealed shocking developments, with September being a remarkable 0.5 degrees Celsius (nearly a full degree Fahrenheit) hotter than the previous record, and July and August each approximately 0.3 degrees Celsius (0.5 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter.
The records of data are from the mid-1800s and this 2023 is anticipated to claim the title of the hottest year. It is possibly that the year is the warmest in the past 2,000 years.
Natural factors, like the El Niño event, can influence temperature fluctuations, but human-induced global warming, mainly through carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, is one of the main drivers of recent temperature rise. The study shows a spike in the global warming over the period of past 15 years. This is to lead to more frequent and severe heatwaves, wildfires, intensified rainfall and rising sea levels in the coming years.
Although there is some disparity within the community of climate scientists, indications strongly suggest a swifter rate of global warming. In the last 15 years, the world has encountered a 40% higher rate of warming when compared to the period since the 1970s. The most recent nine years were the warmest on record. Furthermore, the overall heat content of the Earth’s oceans, which accumulate a majority of the heat from greenhouse gases, has notably risen in the past few decades. Satellite observations of Earth’s energy balance demonstrate an increasing trend in the heat trapped in the atmosphere.
Several factors contribute to this pace of warming. A prominent role is being played by the ongoing increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the reduction of cooling air pollution. Measures to improve air quality, notably the reduction of sulfur in marine fuels, have weakened the cooling effect previously exerted by these aerosols.
