Warning

The United Nations stated that global temperatures will rise to unprecedented levels in 2023, making this year the hottest year in history. As countries grapple with the effects of climate change, there are fears that 2024 will exceed 2023 temperatures.

Underlining the seriousness of the situation, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2023 is the culmination of the hottest decade in history. Omar Baddur, head of WMO’s climate monitoring department, expressed concern and said: There is a high probability that 2024 will exceed the temperature records set in the previous year.

Reacting to these alarming findings, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attributed the rising temperatures to widespread pollution caused by fossil fuels, describing the situation as “the planet is on the brink”. Guterres warned that the pace of climate change is increasing and emphasized that decisive action is urgently needed.

WMO highlighted several worrying trends observed in 2023: Unprecedented warming of the ocean, significant melting of glaciers and a sharp decrease in Antarctic sea ice. Marine heatwaves affected almost a third of the world’s oceans throughout the year; More than 90% of the oceans were affected by heat waves from time to time, causing the atmosphere to warm up. This phenomenon poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and coral reefs, with potentially devastating consequences.

The world’s major glaciers have witnessed the greatest loss of ice since records began in 1950:

• Alpine glaciers in Switzerland lost 10% of their volume in just two years.
• The amount of sea ice in Antarctica has reached a record low, raising concerns about sea level rise.

There is hope

The report also emphasized that there is a glimmer of hope amidst the gloomy outlook. A significant increase in renewable energy production capacity in 2023. Despite this positive development, calls for urgent action are being heard within and outside the scientific community.

Experts emphasize that overcoming the climate crisis requires a joint effort to reduce fossil fuel consumption. While the costs of climate action may seem daunting, The consequences of inaction will cost us much more.