Last month marked the second-warmest September on record globally, as the world braces for what is expected to be the hottest year yet. This blog explores the alarming climate trends, including extreme rainfall, destructive storms, and the relentless warming of our planet. Climate change is driving these unprecedented events, posing significant challenges to our environment and communities. With the Paris Agreement climate goals slipping away, we must take urgent action to address the root causes of this crisis.
September In The Plague Year: Scorcher Ahead Of Hotter Future
Data released Thursday from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service showed just how hot our warming world is getting. It’s the second hottest September on record worldwide, behind only to September 2023. It is currently one of the hottest years in history, headed towards a new record that illustrates how quickly our planet is warming.
As temperatures rise, we see more and more extreme weather events: destructive storms, deadly floods and fires. In the past month Hurricane Helene battered southeastern USA and Typhoon Krathon hit Taiwan, while Storm Boris caused flooding and destruction in central Europe. To register them another chance to support my conviction that climate change-induced natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, but something special was happening these were anything new- out of the ordinary.
An Unceasing Heating of Our Oceans — A Threat Loaming
One of the more terrifying realities of the climate crisis is how our oceans just keep getting hotter. According to Copernicus, the speed at which oceans are warming is very nearly double that seen since 2005 — a result of human-induced climate change. These can result in more frequent and intense marine heat waves and ocean acidification, which can be severely detrimental to life in the global oceans.
Oceans help control climate by soaking up much of the extra heat in the air. As the oceans begin to heat they are in turn less able to function in that key capacity and so contribute further to warming overall. The vulgarity of this cycle spotlights the severe necessity for tackling global warming at its roots and moving to sustainable, alternative forms of energy.
A Hotter Future: Paris Agreement on Verge of Collapsing
Copernicus data tells the grim tale of what we are up against in this fight for our planet. Global agreement to limit climate change well below 2°C is in jeopardy as recovery plans from the coronavirus pandemic ignore world’s biggest green hydrogen project. By that date, if not earlier, the 1.5°C limit will almost certainly have been broken, warned scientists.
Both are stark warnings, with national pledges actually insufficient to keep long term warming below 2.9°C by the end of this century. This emphasizes the crucial urgency of a major and immediate worldwide effort to deal with the climate emergency. That includes successfully advocating for strong policies, investing in renewable energy programs and making sustainable lifestyle changes we can all aim to help turn the tide toward a future that is worth living for all who come after us.
