The ostensibly inevitable has been confirmed : 2023 was the hottest year on book by a massive allowance . Oh , but that ’s not all – last year also find record - breaking levels of greenhouse gas concentrations , sea level rise , ocean high temperature and acidification , Antarctic sea chicken feed covering fire , airfoil temperature , and glacier retreat .
The finding come from the latest World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) State of Global Climate report that found 2023 ’s globose average near - control surface temperatures were 1.45 ° C ( 2.61 ° F ) above the pre - industrial levels – a shameful indication of how quickly Earth ’s climate has changed in recent chronicle .
“ Never have we been so near – albeit on a irregular fundament at the moment – to the 1.5 ° C low limit of the Paris Agreement on climate variety , ” Celeste Saulo , WMO Secretary - General , state in astatement .
Annual global mean temperature anomalies (relative to 1850–1900) from 1850 to 2023 using data from six data setsImage credit: WMO
“ The WMO community is sounding the Red Alert to the creation , ” Saulo said . “ mood variety is about much more than temperatures . What we find in 2023 , specially with the unprecedented ocean warmth , glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice deprivation , is case for particular fear . "
The latest World Meteorological Organization reportconfirms another reportpublished in January 2023 by the Copernicus Climate Change Service , which also conclude last class was the raging year on record .
Along with disc temperatures , 2023 find out the highest immortalize concentrations of the three master nursery gases : carbon paper dioxide , methane , and nitrous oxide . Levels of atomic number 6 dioxide in the standard pressure , for illustration , were 50 pct higher than in the pre - industrial era .
Earth ’s oceans and cryospheres also take a banging in 2023 . Ocean heat subject matter gain its gamy levels , plus there were more frequent and intense nautical heat waves . In July 2023 , for example , the ocean off the seashore of Florida reach a potentiallyrecord - breaking 38.3 ° coulomb ( 101 ° F ) , which is about the same as a hot bathtub .
at the same time , theglobal sea levelsreached a record high since 1993 when satellites started documenting the phenomenon , due to thermic expansion of ocean piss as well as the melting of glaciers and ice tack .
Antarctic sea ice extent was by far thelowest on record , while on the other side of the planet , Arctic sea ice extent was well below normal . worldly concern ’s two most pregnant ice plane , theGreenland Ice Sheetand the Antarctic Ice Sheet , also get worryingly in high spirits levels of melt .
The world also saw an uptick in uttermost weather and mood result , including deluge , tropical cyclones , utmost heatwaves and drought , and associated wildfire . An increase in these forms of extreme weather and climate events was seen on all inhabited continent during 2023 , bringing a noted upgrade in human hurt due to food insecurity and displacement .
The WMO wanted to declare oneself a “ glimmer of Leslie Townes Hope ” by showing that renewable energy generation had surged in 2023 . However , even if this impulse hold going , the major planet is not out of the woods yet .
“ This late report establish – yet again – how profoundly human military action are reshaping the planet . clime heating has contributed to a genuinely singular year the macrocosm over in which records tumble like Domino , ” Dr Ella Gilbert , Climate Scientist at the British Antarctic Survey , said in astatementto the Science Media Centre .
“ We are translate our climate with our actions – but 2023 will be but a taste of what is to fare without conjunct , ambitious and brave action on clime change , ” added Dr Gilbert .
