Warmest July on record since human civilisation, say scientists

Earth Has Not Been This Hot In 120,000 Years: Scientist

The Earth is experiencing a record-breaking heat wave that is unprecedented in human history. According to a new study, the planet is warmer now than it has been in about 120,000 years, and it is on track to surpass the hottest temperature in more than 2 million years.

How do scientists know this? They use various methods to reconstruct the past climate from natural archives, such as tree rings, ice cores, ocean sediments, and fossils. These proxies provide clues about the temperature, precipitation, vegetation, and greenhouse gas levels in different periods of time.

The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, analyzed data from 20 different proxies and found that the global average temperature in the past decade was higher than any time since the end of the last interglacial period, about 125,000 years ago. This was a warm period between two ice ages, when sea levels were about 6 to 9 meters higher than today.

The study also projected the future temperature based on different scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions. It found that if humans continue to emit carbon dioxide at the current rate, the Earth will reach a temperature not seen since the Pliocene epoch, about 3 million years ago, by 2030. The Pliocene was a time when there were no ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, and sea levels were about 25 meters higher than today.

What does this mean for us? The study warns that the rapid and unprecedented warming of the Earth poses serious risks for human civilization and natural ecosystems. It could lead to more extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires. It could also cause sea level rise, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and displacement of millions of people. It could threaten food security, water availability, biodiversity, and human health.

The study urges for immediate and ambitious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as agreed by the Paris Agreement. This would require a rapid transition to renewable energy sources, improved energy efficiency, reduced deforestation, and enhanced carbon capture and storage.

The study concludes that we have a narrow window of opportunity to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a habitable planet for ourselves and future generations. The authors write: "The time for action is now."

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(1) We’re experiencing Earth’s hottest weather in 120,000 years, and it’s .... https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4086841-were-experiencing-earths-hottest-weather-in-120000-years-and-its-just-getting-started/.

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(4) Earth’s 120,000-Year Heat Record Shattered, Finds Study. https://countercurrents.org/2023/07/earths-120000-year-heat-record-shattered-finds-study/.