Global Leaders Face Pressure as Earth Endures Hottest Summer on Record
Throughout the summer of 2023, natural disasters have harmed the livelihoods of people across the world. The UN has announced that this past summer was the hottest on record since human civilization began. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the average global temperature was 16.77 degrees Celsius, which is 0.66 degrees Celsius higher than the average from 1991 to 2020. That increase does not look significant on its own, but in the context of climate change that increase is very significant.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stated that a ‘climate breakdown has begun’ and that many places around the world are being hit with severe weather events. Researchers have determined through tree rings and ice cores that August 2023 was approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average. Furthermore, a report from EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service(C3S) indicated that August had the highest global monthly average sea surface temperature on record at approximately 21 degrees Celsius. It was also mentioned that Antarctica’s sea ice has significantly shrunk this summer.
The global temperature is growing warmer and at a faster rate than before. We are now getting closer to permanently surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius global temperature goal set by the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. After surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal, it is more likely that Earth will experience tipping points, which are points where small changes can lead to irreversible shifts in the environment.
The climate change crisis we are in is due to burning fossil fuels. The UN Secretary-General has stated that it is still possible to avoid the worst effects of climate change if we act fast. Switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is one way to slow down climate change. The Anorra Turbines and Towers can help rural home, cottage, and tiny home owners play a part in reducing climate change by powering heat pumps or geothermal systems to displace natural gas furnaces and help protect the environment.