European scientists have announced that the Earth experienced its hottest summer on record, with ocean temperatures reaching unprecedented highs in August and Antarctic sea ice hitting a record low.
Season Of Simmering: New Data Shows Hottest Summer On Record Around The Globe|Pexels
August was the hottest summer on record, with global monthly average ocean-surface temperatures surpassing the record set in March 2016.
The year so far (January-August) is the second-warmest on record, behind 2016. The extreme heat experienced especially during the ‘hottest summer on record’ is attributed to human-caused climate change and the temporary warming effects of El Niño.
The high global temperatures have had a negative impact on air quality, human health, and the environment, with heatwaves fueling devastating wildfires and disrupting daily life.
The NOAA and NASA are also expected to release their climate data, likely confirming the hottest summer on record.
The global average surface air temperature for August was 0.71 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1991-2020 average and 0.31 degrees Celsius warmer than the previous hottest summer on record on August of 2016, CNBC reports.
The UN Secretary-General called for urgent climate action, stating that the world can still avoid the worst impacts of climate change, but there is no time to waste, CNBC added
The effects of El Niño are expected to peak in December and may push global temperatures beyond the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set in the Paris Agreement, which could trigger significant changes in Earth’s systems.
READ MORE|’Climate breakdown has begun’: Globe swelters to hottest summer on record, new data shows
