The world just endured the hottest summer on record

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"[C]limate change is just a very, very expensive form of tax."

"I believe in climate change caused by human beings. What I'm skeptical about is the glib notion that it means the end of the world as we know it."

"The clock is no longer just ticking, it is banging."

"There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change."

"The time for seeking global solutions [to climate change] is running out."

"The climate crisis is the existential threat. That's not hyperbole; it's a fact."

"[W]e are killing our planet."

Climate change is "above all, an existential crisis."

"Climate change is one of the greatest challenges mankind faces."

"If we don't take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon."

"Humanity is on thin ice — and that ice is melting fast."

"We haven't yet exceeded the bounds of viable human civilisation, but we're getting close."

Is Climate Change an Existential Threat?

According to the UN Environment Program (UNEP) released on Thursday, failure to achieve the Paris Agreement's goals will result in global warming of 3.1 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.

UNEP

Inger Andersen, the UNEP executive director, warned that without a "massive increase in ambition" in the next round of climate pledges, "1.5 C will be dead within a few years and 2 C will take its place in the intensive care unit."

The Washington Post

The annual Emissions Gap report has found that current planet-warming emissions and climate policies would cause temperatures to rise between 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit) and 2.8 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100.

Reuters

The UN report has warned that a 2.6 degrees Celsius global warming would worsen heatwaves, wildfires, storms, droughts, and floods. It added that the world must collectively reduce emissions by 42% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels to put the planet on a 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway.

Anne Olhoff, lead author of the report, said that global greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 increased to a record high of over 57 GtCO2 equivalent. Madagascar is the only country on course to reduce its emissions to 30 MtCO2 by 2030.

Dw.Com

Unepgrid

The report comes just weeks before world leaders gather in Azerbaijani for the start of the COP29 climate summit, where they are expected to build on an agreement made in 2023 to transition away from fossil fuels.

Politico

NBC #882

This summer surpassed the previous record set in 2023, which was 0.66 degrees Celsius above the average baseline, marking a continuation of the alarming trend of rising global temperatures.

USA Today

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The record-breaking temperatures included the hottest June and August on record, as well as the hottest day ever recorded on July 22, 2024, according to NASA's analysis of global daily temperature data.

Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, with land temperatures 2.77 degrees above the 1991-2020 average, exceeding the previous record set in 2022.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service combines data from various sources, including weather observations from balloons and satellites, with computer models to create a comprehensive picture of global temperature trends.

nytimes

Scientists attribute these record-breaking temperatures to a long-term warming trend driven by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases, which has resulted in over 530 consecutive months with temperatures above the 20th-century average.

While the summer of 2024 was exceptionally hot, it's important to consider long-term climate trends rather than focusing on individual records. Natural variability plays a role in temperature fluctuations, and more data is needed to fully understand the implications of these recent heat events. The climate system is complex, and caution should be exercised when attributing specific weather events to climate change.

It’s Been the Hottest Summer on Record, European Officials Say

Record-Breaking Heat: Summer 2024 Shatters Temperature Records

Climate change

Weather

The record-breaking temperatures are a clear sign that urgent action is needed to address climate change. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heat events demonstrate the immediate impacts of global warming. Without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, these devastating consequences will only worsen for people and the planet.

Summer 2024 was the hottest on record, scientists say

Bloomberg.com

The Global Methane Bomb Is Starting To Detonat

While 2023 was exceptionally hot, it's essential to consider long-term climate trends rather than focusing on individual records. Natural variability plays a role in temperature fluctuations, and more data is needed to fully understand the implications of these recent heat events. The climate system is complex, and caution should be exercised when attributing specific weather events to climate change.

BBC News

Is the UN warning of 3.1C global warming a surprise?

There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 2.92˚°C of global warming by 2100, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

How much global warming by 2100?

Unsplash

UN Report: World On Track For 3.1°C Warming By 2100

UN Report: World On Track For 3.1°C Warming By 2100

Record-BreakingUN HeatReport: SummerWorld 2024On ShattersTrack TemperatureFor Records3.1°C Warming By 2100

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UN Report: World On Track For 3.1°C Warming By 2100

Record-BreakingUN HeatReport: SummerWorld 2024On ShattersTrack TemperatureFor Records3.1°C Warming By 2100

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

The Controversies

Trump

Michaels

Harris

Sunak

Francis

Biden

Macron

Thunberg

Merkel

Attenborough

Guterres

Mann

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