June has been recorded as the hottest month globally, with average temperatures over the past 12 months exceeding 1.6°C compared to the pre-industrial period.
According to data released by the European Copernicus Observatory on July 8, June is the hottest month ever recorded in history. This marks the 13th consecutive monthly record, with average temperatures surpassing 1.64°C compared to the pre-industrial era.
This indicates that we are getting closer to the 1.5°C threshold outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. This is also a contributing factor to the increase in extreme weather events, posing dangerous risks globally.
A Particularly Dangerous Month
In June, in Saudi Arabia, over 1,300 people died during the pilgrimage to Mecca, as temperatures at the Grand Mosque reached up to 51.8°C.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, over 150 people have died due to a heatwave that has persisted since March; India also reported dozens of heat-related deaths at the end of May (in Delhi, temperatures reached 52°C), including 33 election workers who died from heatstroke on national election day.
The Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June claimed the lives of over 1,000 people as temperatures soared to 51.8°C in Mecca (Photo: Pacte pour le climat).
Global warming has increased humidity levels, resulting in more intense rainfall and causing deadly flood disasters such as in Kenya, where 228 people died, 150 in Brazil, and 28 in southern China; while northern China faced oppressive heat, reaching nearly 40°C.
Earlier in July, landslides also resulted in the deaths of 14 people in Nepal. According to scientists, human-induced global warming has intensified rainfall, heatwaves, and the probability of these events occurring.
In some cases, they can even quantify its intensity. World Weather Attribution (WWA), an organization that assesses the role of climate change in extreme weather patterns worldwide, indicated that the heatwave at the end of May and early June in Mexico and the United States was likely due to climate change.
Economic and Social Disasters
Global warming not only causes deadly extreme weather events, but it also leads to economic and social disasters, particularly in poorer countries.
Due to the impact of heatwaves, people in the Balkans, Pakistan, and Egypt have experienced power outages in recent weeks, meaning essential household appliances like fans, air conditioners, and refrigerators have had to shut down.
In Brazil, a historic drought has occurred, with the Amazon rainforest experiencing its worst first half of the year in the last 20 years, and “a state of emergency” has been declared in Mato Grosso do Sul.
In California (USA), over 1,400 hectares of forest have gone up in smoke, with temperatures predicted to reach 46°C in the coming days along the West Coast.
How Will La Niña Affect Climate?
According to scientists, the emergence of La Niña (the counterpart to El Niño) expected at the end of this year could cool global temperatures. However, this will largely depend on the warmth of the oceans—covering 70% of the planet’s surface—which have maintained high temperatures for over a year.
The unusual warmth of the water surface in the North Atlantic has added strength to Hurricane Beryl in early July, which devastated the West Indies and left at least 7 people dead.
Climate scientist Julien Nicolas estimates: “If these record temperatures continue, regardless of La Niña’s development, 2024 could be hotter than 2023. But it is still too early to say.”
