On July 3, 2023, it was recorded as the hottest day ever globally, according to data released by the U.S. National Environmental Prediction Center on July 4.
The global average temperature recorded on July 3 reached 17.01 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of 16.92 degrees Celsius set in August 2016, amidst heatwaves occurring around the world, Reuters reported.
The global average temperature recorded on July 3 reached 17.01 degrees Celsius. (Illustrative image).
- The Southern United States has been experiencing a severe heatwave in recent weeks.
- In China, a prolonged heatwave continues with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius.
- The North African region has also recorded temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius over recent days.
- Even Antarctica, currently in winter, has recorded unusually high temperatures. Ukraine’s Vernadsky research station in the Argentine Islands of Antarctica recently broke the July temperature record at 8.7 degrees Celsius.
Climate scientist Friederike Otto from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London stated: “This is not a milestone to celebrate, but rather a death sentence for humanity and ecosystems.”
Scientists report that climate change combined with the El Niño phenomenon is responsible for the recent extreme weather patterns.
“Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of a series of new records expected to be set this year amidst rising carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, coupled with the El Niño phenomenon pushing temperatures to new heights,” warned Zeke Hausfather, a climate researcher at Berkeley Earth in the U.S.
The Guardian quoted Jeni Miller, executive director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance based in California, stating: “People around the world are suffering from the negative impacts of climate change, from heatwaves, wildfires, and air pollution to flooding and storms. Global warming is also exacerbating crop failures and the spread of infectious diseases, as well as causing migration.”
“The extraction and use of coal, oil, and gas harm human health and are the primary drivers of global warming,” Miller added, calling on governments worldwide to prepare commitments for the upcoming COP28 conference, scheduled to be held in Dubai later this year, to phase out all fossil fuels and transition fairly to renewable energy.
