London, UK: According to the European Union’s climate monitoring unit, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the average global temperatures at the beginning of June 2023 reached unprecedented levels, surpassing previous records by a significant margin. Ms. Samantha Burgess, the deputy director of C3S, stated that the world has just experienced its warmest early June 2023 ever recorded. The data from C3S, which spans back to 1950, reveals that global surface air temperatures during the initial days of June 2023 were the highest in history for that period.

Although temperatures have slightly decreased since then, experts warn that the surge in early June 2023 established a new global heat record for the month, indicating a future of more extreme weather events as the planet enters a potentially long-lasting El Niño phase. Copernicus researchers reported that global surface air temperatures rose 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels in early June 2023, surpassing the threshold set during the 2015 Paris Agreement. Specifically, between June 7th and 11th 2023, the daily global average temperature reached or exceeded the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold, peaking at 1.69 degrees Celsius above it on June 9th 2023. On June 8th and 9th 2023, the global average daily temperature was approximately 0.4 degrees Celsius warmer than previous records for those days.

The Copernicus unit emphasized the importance of monitoring the cumulative effects of the increasing exceedances of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit. This concern arises as the planet transitions from a three-year La Niña phase, which mitigates the effects of global warming, to an El Niño period that could further elevate average temperatures by half a degree or more.

Recent findings from Copernicus also indicate that global oceans were warmer in May 2023 than in any other recorded May 2023. Additionally, predictions suggest that 2024 will be even hotter than 2023 as the El Niño event continues to develop.

The link between global warming and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is well-established. UN Secretary-General Mr. Antonio Guterres highlighted the urgency of the climate crisis, expressing his concern over the inadequate global response. He stated that current climate policies are on track to result in a temperature increase of 2.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, nearly double the UN’s goal of a 1.5-degree Celsius rise. Mr. Guterres emphasized the need for a complete transformation of the fossil fuel industry, urging a shift towards clean energy to ensure human survival.

Mr. Guterres criticized the lack of ambition, trust, support, and cooperation among countries in meeting their climate commitments. He called for a collective awakening and increased efforts to address the climate crisis, warning that the world is approaching a disaster of catastrophic proportions.

WORLD ROUNDUP: Japan raises age of consent to 16 in landmark sex crime reforms