• Source:JND
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Global Warming: Last month was recorded as the hottest June ever, according to the EU's climate change monitoring service, continuing a trend of exceptionally high temperatures that some scientists believe could make 2024 the hottest year on record.

The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that every month since June 2023—13 consecutive months—has been the warmest on record compared to the same month in previous years.

Current data suggest that 2024 could surpass 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded, driven by both human-induced climate change and the natural El Niño phenomenon, which have pushed temperatures to unprecedented levels. Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, estimates a 95 per cent likelihood that 2024 will exceed 2023 as the warmest year since global temperature records began in the mid-1800s.

The rapidly rising temperatures present a global crisis and have already led to severe consequences in 2024. Last month, approximately 1,000 people died from heat-related issues during the Hajj pilgrimage.

Why Was June the Hottest Month on Record According to C3S?

El Niño, which warms surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, generally raises global temperatures. Although its influence has lessened recently, the world is currently experiencing neutral conditions and is expected to transition to cooler La Niña conditions later this year.

The C3S dataset, which extends back to 1940, confirms that last month was the hottest June since the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900. Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion remain the primary driver of climate change.

Despite commitments to address global warming, countries have collectively failed to reduce these emissions, resulting in steadily rising temperatures over the decades. The average global temperature for the 12 months ending in June was the highest on record for any such period, 1.64 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, according to C3S.

Global Temperatures Exceed 1.5°C Target for Entire Year

Global average temperatures have now reached or surpassed a crucial climate threshold for 12 consecutive months, underscoring the difficulty of keeping global warming below 1.5 Degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

According to a report from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service published Monday, the average temperature for the year through June 2024 was 1.64 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial period of 1850 to 1900. Last month marked the hottest June ever recorded, continuing a 13-month streak of setting new temperature records. The Paris Agreement of 2015 aims to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with a more ambitious target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, these temperature averages are assessed over 20 to 30-year periods rather than on a 12-month basis, as noted by the EU’s climate change service.