The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has revealed that July 2024 has earned the dubious distinction of being the second hottest month on record globally, bringing an end to a 13-month streak of record-breaking temperatures. This alarming trend is largely attributed to the increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-based industries, which continue to wreak havoc on our planet.
The Copernicus report highlights that July 2024 was a scorching 1.48°C above the pre-industrial reference period of 1850-1990, while the last 12 months were a staggering 1.64°C above the pre-industrial average. This is a clear indication of the long-term warming trend that is being driven by human activities.
The report also notes that oceans not typically affected by El Nino experienced an unusual rise in temperatures, further emphasizing the far-reaching impact of climate change. Julien Nicolas, a climate researcher with Copernicus, warned that “we are not done with temperature records causing heatwaves… We know this long-term warming trend can be with a very high level of confidence related to the human impact on climate.”
The consequences of this trend are far-reaching, with southern and eastern Europe, western United States and Canada, most of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and eastern Europe recording above-average temperatures throughout the month. In contrast, near or below-average temperatures were seen in northwestern Europe, western Antarctica, parts of the US, South America, and Australia.
The report also highlights the uneven distribution of rainfall, with northern Europe and southern Turkey experiencing wetter-than-average conditions, while drought warnings persisted in southern and eastern Europe.
The Arctic Sea ice, which was down more than 7% below average in 2022 and 2023, has not recovered, and global sea temperatures remain at near-record highs. This July was only 0.1°C below July last year, ending a 15-month consecutive new record streak.
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