Rising Temperatures Expected in 2023 and Beyond
2023 Confirmed as Hottest Year on Record
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its interim “2023 Global Climate Situation” report, confirming that 2023 will go down in history as the hottest year on record. According to the report, data up until the end of October showed that the air temperature this year was approximately 1.40 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period (1850-1900).
The report noted that the temperature recorded in 2023 surpassed that of both 2016 and 2020, previously recorded as the hottest years. It also pointed out that the remaining months of the year are not expected to affect this ranking.
Furthermore, the report highlighted the impact of the El Nino weather phenomenon, which emerged in the Northern Hemisphere in the spring of 2023 and is likely to further increase temperatures in 2024.
The WMO also pointed out that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 50 percent higher than in the pre-industrial period, which is contributing to trapping heat and leading to further temperature increases in the coming years.
The report underlined that the rate of sea level rise has more than doubled between 2013-2022 compared to the first 10 years of satellite records (1993-2002). It also emphasized extreme melting in glaciers in Antarctica, North America, and Europe.
Renewable energy capacity is expected to increase by approximately 10 percent in 2022, led by solar and wind energy.
The WMO report also shed light on how extreme weather and climate events have had significant effects on all continents, including major floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat, drought, and uncontrollable fires. It cited examples such as flooding caused by Hurricane Daniel in September affecting Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Libya, as well as extreme heatwaves in Southern Europe and North Africa.
The report also highlighted the devastating impact of extreme weather conditions such as large forest fires in Canada and the flood disaster in the Horn of Africa.
WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas emphasized the urgent need to protect everyone with early warning services in light of the extreme weather conditions that continue to impact lives and livelihoods.
The interim Global Climate Situation report was published ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.
A final Global Climate Status 2023 report is expected to be published in the first half of 2024, along with regional reports.
