A new study by Climate Central has revealed the impact of rising temperatures on the planet in 2023 and the role of humans in exacerbating the problem.
The findings are eye-opening, and they remind us of the role we can all play in mitigating the causes of overheating the planet.
What did the study find?
According to research group Climate Central, a peer-reviewed study summarized by Euronews Green and Reuters found that 98% of the global population witnessed higher than usual temperatures between June and August this year — and these temperatures were twice as likely because of human-caused pollution.
The research examined global heat events and used modeling to remove the influence of pollution to determine the possible high temperatures without the influence of humans.
Data from 180 countries and 22 territories helped to estimate that 6.2 billion people experienced at least one day of high average temperatures that would have been difficult to achieve without the effects of carbon pollution. Those temperatures were five times more likely because of human impact.
"Virtually no one on Earth escaped the influence of global warming during the past three months," Climate Central's vice president for science Andrew Pershing told Euronews Green and Reuters.
The study found that July was the hottest month on Earth since records began, while August saw a 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit higher average temperature compared to the same month before the prevalence of industrial activity.
Why is this so concerning?
"In every country we could analyze, including the Southern Hemisphere, where this is the coolest time of year, we saw temperatures that would be difficult — and in some cases nearly impossible — without human-caused climate change," Pershing said.
It's a worrying statement, especially considering the devastating heat waves and wildfires in the United States and southern Europe in 2023.
When looking at isolated heat waves, climate scientist Friederike Otto from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment noted that these events were made "infinitely more likely" by the overheating of the planet, reported Euronews Green.
What can we do to mitigate human climate impact?
The study consistently points to human-caused pollution as the driver of these worrying heat trends.
With that in mind, reducing the harmful gases we release into the atmosphere is crucial to prevent further shocking temperature rises.
Making lifestyle alterations such as walking, biking, or using public transport to travel instead of using dirty fuel–powered vehicles is a great start.
Cutting down on meat in your weekly diet can also benefit the planet, as agriculture relating to the beef, pork, and chicken supply chain significantly contributes to global pollution and deforestation, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Since 98% of the global population experienced increased temperatures in 2023, it's beneficial to everyone to prevent the causes of this phenomenon.
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