Last year was one for the record books — and not in a good way. The new data now has scientists asking whether our planet's warming is still continuing to accelerate and if it's been speeding up longer than we believed.
What's happening?
The New York Times reported that 2023 was "by far" the warmest year recorded in 150 years, with the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service finding that temperatures were 2.66 degrees Fahrenheit higher on average than in the latter half of the 19th century.
While that news was expected after a blazing-hot summer that contributed to destructive wildfires in some parts of the world, combined satellite readings and geological evidence indicated that last year may have been the hottest in the last 100,000 years, per the Times.
"There were simply no cities, no books, agriculture or domesticated animals on this planet the last time the temperature was so high," Carlo Buontempo, the director of the European Union climate monitor, told the Times.
El Niño is one natural event linked to higher-than-normal temperatures, but scientists don't think it was the main reason for 2023's numbers, given that it didn't begin until the middle of the year.
"Something unusual is happening that we don't understand," Dr. Karina von Schuckmann, an oceanographer at France's Mercator Ocean International, told the Times, suggesting that more research is needed to understand the data.
Why is this concerning?
Researchers in France recently concluded that the Earth may have been warming at an accelerated rate since the 1960s, longer than initially believed, as detailed by the Times.
If that's the case, our timeline to limit the overheating of our planet may need to be adjusted.
Last year, per the Times, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that temperatures were roughly 2.4 to 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit above preindustrial levels.
Those numbers are uncomfortably close to the goal of limiting the rise to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Our changing temperatures have been linked to food supply shortages, displacement due to extreme weather events, and an increased spread of disease.
What can be done about the record temperatures?
There are a number of ways to stay safe during a heat wave, including skipping workouts outdoors, staying hydrated, and wearing lightweight or loose clothing.
Making more planet-friendly choices can also have a long-term impact. Gas, oil, and coal are responsible for generating more than three-quarters of the gases linked to the planet's overheating, including around 90% of carbon pollution, according to the United Nations.
Swapping single-use plastics for reusable alternatives, using public transportation when possible, and weatherizing your home are all small ways that can add up to reduce the amount of pollution driving the issue.
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