The world experienced its fifth warmest year on record in 2022, according to a report published by EU Copernicus scientists. As El Nino, a weather phenomenon associated with higher temperatures, is anticipated to return in 2023, the heat could intensify further.
Last year, Europe saw its hottest summer on record, while climate change-induced extreme rain caused devastating floods in Pakistan. Additionally, February marked a record low for Antarctic sea ice levels.
Copernicus’s Samantha Burgess highlighted that several European countries experienced the highest carbon emissions from wildfires in 2022. These fires started earlier, persisted longer, and were more severe than average -destroying forests and killing animals.
Burgess stressed that climate change is not a future problem but a present challenge that requires adaptation and response.
El Nino is expected to return this year. This phenomenon is characterized by warmer surface ocean temperatures and is typically accompanied by higher global temperatures.
The world’s average global temperature has increased by 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. “So really understanding how we can live with our changing climate is really, really important,” Burgess said.
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