As the Earth’s temperature continues to soar, scientists have now reported that the rate of warming reached an unprecedented high in 2023, with a staggering 92% of this heat attributed to human activities.
Top climate scientists, employing United Nations-approved methodologies, analyzed last year’s lethal heat surge and declared that the acceleration of human-caused climate change, primarily driven by increased fossil fuel burning, is in line with predictions rather than a sudden uptick in pace.
Last year alone, the rate of warming escalated to 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade, a subtle yet significant hike from the previous 0.25 degrees Celsius. Piers Forster, a climate scientist from Leeds University and the study lead author, assured that “Things are increasing in temperature and getting worse in sort of exactly the way we predicted.”
The study, participated by an international team of 57 scientists, offers a grim reminder that human choices are at the heart of this ongoing crisis.
“Choosing to act on climate has become a political talking point but this report should be a reminder to people that in fact it is fundamentally a choice to save human lives,” remarked Andrea Dutton, a climate scientist from the University of Wisconsin, who did not partake in the study.
An alarming conclusion of the research is that Earth is likely to surpass the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold within the next 4.5 years, unless emissions trajectories are drastically altered.
The current progress, or lack thereof, could lead to inevitable consequences if carbon emission continues unabated. “It’s us — not physics, but humans — who will determine how quickly the world warms and by how much,” noted Texas Tech climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe.
The research also highlights the role of El Nino and other natural factors that have contributed around 10% to the recent temperature surge, underscoring the impact of human actions against the backdrop of natural climate variability.
In the same vein, the scientific community overwhelmingly agrees on the human-driven nature of global warming. Reports from NASA affirm that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists concur that human activities are causing climate change, with a plethora of scientific bodies worldwide backing this stance.
While the future of the climate remains in the balance, political engagement and policy-making are as crucial as ever. The forthcoming COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, will see climate experts deliberating strategies to address these urgent challenges.
As we advance, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns of a narrowing window to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. With the remaining carbon budget for 1.5 degrees Celsius at a central estimate of 200 gigatons — roughly five years’ worth of current emissions — prompt and decisive action becomes non-negotiable.
Professor Forster, who spearheads the Indicators of Global Climate Change Project, calls for an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions towards net zero to mitigate the level of global warming.
“Rapidly reducing emissions of greenhouse gases towards net zero will limit the level of global warming we ultimately experience. At the same time, we need to build more resilient societies,” he advised.
As nations prepare their Nationally Determined Contributions for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by 2025, the urgency of translating these findings into robust climate plans cannot be overstated.
The ongoing efforts to reduce sulfur emissions from shipping, which has a cooling effect, and the offsetting impact of aerosol emissions from wildfires, speak to the complexity of factors that demand a multifaceted policy response.
Relevant articles:
– Earth is warming at a record rate, with 92% of last year’s heat caused by humans, study finds, nbcnews.com
– Do scientists agree on climate change?, nasa.gov
– Rate of global warming caused by humans is at an all-time high, say scientists, Phys.org
– Rate of global warming caused by humans at an all-time high, say scientists, ScienceDaily