Several institutions that deal with climate data analysis agree. The global average temperature reached a record high in 2023.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has officially confirmed the global average temperature record for 2023. After evaluating six different series of measurements on Friday, it gave the value as 1.45 degrees above the pre-industrial level (1850-1900 ). All six institutes would have classified 2023 as the hottest year. The new head of the WMO, Celeste Saulo, warned that this year could bring a new record.
So far, 2016 has been the hottest year since industrialization. The global average temperature at that time was about 1.29 degrees warmer. In 2022 it was 1.15 degrees hotter than before industrialization. European climate service Copernicus reported that the global average temperature for 2023 was 1.48 degrees this week. For its calculation, the WMO also evaluated series of measurements from three American and two British institutes. Indicates measurement uncertainty as plus/minus 0.12 degrees. According to the WMO, the actual average temperature was probably 15.09 degrees. However, the measurement uncertainty is noticeably greater.
2204 could get even hotter
The head of the WMO, Saulo, highlighted that the natural climate phenomenon El Niño influenced temperatures last year. It causes water temperatures to rise in parts of the Pacific and increases air temperatures every few years. Its counterpart, La Niña, is depressing temperatures. “The fact that the cooling La Niña turned into a warming El Niño in mid-2023 is clearly reflected in the increase in temperature last year,” Saulo said. “As El Niño typically has the biggest impact on global temperatures after it peaks, it could get even hotter in 2024.” The U.S. Weather Agency expects El Niño to weaken during the spring.
Saulo called on the global community to contain climate change more decisively. This requires more drastic cuts in climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions and a faster transition to renewable energy. “Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity,” she said. (APA)