WMO expresses concerns as earth warms still above 1.5°C
(MENAFN) The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised alarm over the Earth's temperature surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to the latest data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The Service reported that June 2024 marked the thirteenth consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures, underscoring a concerning trend of escalating global warming.
Secretary-General of the WMO, Celeste Solo, emphasized that while these temperature spikes are concerning, they do not signify a permanent loss of the 1.5°C target. The target denotes a sustained warming trend over decades rather than short-term fluctuations. Record-high sea surface temperatures observed in June are particularly worrying as they pose threats to critical marine ecosystems and contribute to the intensification of tropical cyclones, exemplified by events like Hurricane Beryl.
"Even as this series of extreme temperatures may subside, the trend of setting new temperature records amid climate warming continues unabated," stated Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The Service's data revealed that June 2024's average global temperature exceeded the pre-industrial reference period (1850-1900) by 1.5°C, marking a troubling milestone.
Over the past twelve months from July 2023 to June 2024, the global average temperature was recorded at 1.64°C above the pre-industrial average, highlighting an accelerating trend. Furthermore, the average sea surface temperature in June 2024, between 60°S and 60°N, reached 20.85°C, the highest on record for that month. This continued streak marks the fifteenth consecutive month of record-high sea surface temperatures according to Copernicus data.
The ongoing rise in global temperatures and associated environmental impacts underscore the urgent need for concerted global efforts to mitigate climate change and its far-reaching consequences on planetary ecosystems and human societies alike.
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