Earth has endured its hottest three-month period ever, as revealed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which is funded by the EU.
This record-breaking streak has brought with it unprecedented sea surface temperatures and a surge in extreme weather events across the globe.
August, in particular, shattered records by becoming the hottest August on record, surpassing all previous benchmarks by a significant margin.
In fact, it’s now ranked as the second-hottest month ever recorded, trailing closely behind July 2023.
According to the C3S monthly climate bulletin, August was approximately 1.5°C warmer than the pre-industrial average for the period between 1850 and 1900.
August witnessed another startling milestone: it marked the highest global monthly average sea surface temperatures on record across all months, peaking at 20.98°C.
Temperatures surpassed the previous record set in March 2016, making August 2023 the hottest sea surface month on record.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a sobering call to action in response to these alarming trends, stating, “Climate breakdown has begun. Scientists have long warned what our fossil fuel addiction will unleash. Surging temperatures demand a surge in action.
“Leaders must turn up the heat now for climate solutions. We can still avoid the worst of climate chaos – and we don’t have a moment to lose.”