This year 'virtually certain' to be warmest in 125,000 years: scientists
Korea HeraldOCT 20 2023
The combination of greenhouse gas emissions and El Niño weather patterns has pushed 2023 to become the warmest year in 125,000 years of recorded history.
Global surface temperatures in 2023 are currently averaging 1.43C above pre-industrial levels, surpassing the previous record set in 2016 by 0.1C.
Climate-related disasters in 2023 included devastating floods in Libya, severe South American heatwaves, and Canada's worst-ever wildfire season, which burned over 18.4 million hectares.
The economic and policy challenges of rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors require balanced consideration, as current emission reduction targets have not yet resulted in actual decreases, highlighting the complexity of implementing effective climate policies.