The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has issued a grave warning that "climate change is out of control" following an analysis indicating that the past week was the hottest on record. Unofficial data reveals that average global temperatures reached unprecedented levels, breaking records set just days earlier. Guterres emphasizes the urgency of taking immediate action, stating that further delays in implementing necessary measures will lead to catastrophic consequences.
The unofficial analysis of data collected by the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reveals that the average global air temperature on Tuesday was 17.18°C (62.9°F), surpassing the previous record set on Monday at 17.01°C. Moreover, data from the University of Maine's Climate Reanalyzer shows that the seven-day period ending on Wednesday had an average temperature of 0.04°C (0.08°F) higher than any week recorded in the past 44 years.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which provides the standard climate data, expressed its inability to validate the unofficial numbers, noting that the Reanalyzer utilizes model output data and is not a substitute for actual temperature records. The NOAA acknowledges the influence of climate change, combined with El Niño and hot summer conditions, as contributors to the record-breaking temperatures observed globally.
Scientists concur that these unprecedented heat levels indicate uncharted territory in terms of climate change. They anticipate that the combination of increased heat due to human-induced global warming and the return of El Niño will result in more extreme temperature records being shattered. The UN confirmed the return of El Niño, a sporadic weather pattern, on Tuesday, with the last major occurrence taking place in 2016, the hottest year ever recorded Experts predict that July will likely be the warmest month in history, surpassing previous records set during the Eemian interglacial period some 120,000 years ago. The European Union's climate monitoring service reported that June 2023 was the hottest June on record worldwide, corroborating the trend of intensifying heatwaves across different regions.
Contributing to the current heatwave is an unusually mild winter in the Antarctic, where temperatures in certain areas were 10-20°C (18-36°F) higher than the average from 1979 to 2000. This anomaly is attributed to strong wind fronts over the Southern Ocean pushing warm air farther south. Polar explorer Chari Vijayaraghavan warns that the visible effects of global warming threaten wildlife and accelerate ice melt, leading to rising sea levels. Additionally, there are concerns about the spread of diseases such as avian flu in the Antarctic, which could have devastating consequences for penguins and other fauna in the region.
In conclusion, the UN's alarm over the uncontrollable nature of climate change is reinforced by the confirmation that the previous week was the hottest on record. The combination of anthropogenic global warming and the return of El Niño is expected to perpetuate the trend of record-breaking temperatures. Urgent action is crucial to mitigate the catastrophic consequences of this rapidly escalating climate crisis.
A CSR Initiative of
Designed and Executed by
Implemented by
Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master, it was rightly said. Electronic devices have grown into an inevitable part of our daily lives.
