2023 Sets Record As Hottest Year, Global Average Temperature Nears 1.5 Degree Celsius Threshold Set In Paris Agreement

The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the preceding year marked the hottest on record globally, significantly surpassing previous records and likely standing as the warmest year in the past 1 lakh years as reported by Indian Express.

This announcement comes as no surprise to scientists, given the consistent breaking of climate records throughout the year.

From June onward, each month set a new record as the hottest in comparison to the corresponding month in preceding years.

C3S Director Carlo Buontempo described 2023 as an exceptionally unprecedented year in terms of climate, stating that it stands out even when compared to other notably warm years.

The global temperature records dating back to 1850 confirm 2023 as the hottest year. When cross-referenced with paleoclimatic data from sources like tree rings and air bubbles in glaciers, Buontempo asserted that it is "very likely" the warmest year in the last 1 lakh years.

The planet, on average, experienced a temperature increase of 1.48 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900 when widespread industrial-scale burning of fossil fuels began, leading to a significant release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

This is very near the threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement, where countries committed to limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius to mitigate severe consequences.

Despite various climate targets set by governments and companies, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from burning coal, oil, and gas reached record levels in 2023.

The concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere also reached an unprecedented high of 419 parts per million.

Moreover, 2023 marked the first year in which every day was more than 1 degree Celsius hotter than pre-industrial times, with two days in November exceeding 2 degrees Celsius.

Notably, last year was 0.17 degrees Celsius hotter than the previous record in 2016, surpassing it by a remarkable margin. The El Niño weather phenomenon, which warms surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, contributed to the elevated temperatures in 2023.