September becomes the hottest month ever recorded, with grim implications for 2023
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), this past September was the hottest month ever recorded based on data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The previous record was set in September 2020, with the average surface temperature at 15.88°C; this September reached 16.38°C. This was around 1.75°C higher than pre-industrial temperatures, and has put 2023 on track to becoming the hottest year ever recorded, with a projected average of 1.4°C above pre-industrial temperatures.
The WMO states that September’s high temperatures continue an ongoing streak of “extraordinary land and sea-surface temperatures”, a concerning indicator as to how quickly the climate is changing. WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said, “The temperature anomalies are enormous - far bigger than anything we have ever seen in the past,” He has also expressed concerns regarding the record-low Antarctic winter sea ice coverage (more details here) and the El Niño event that is currently still underway. He adds that “we can expect these record-breaking temperatures to continue for months, with cascading impacts on our environment and society,”
With the COP28 just a month away, the pressure for more urgent climate action is on. Countries will have to step up their efforts to reduce their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement to limit the global temperature rise to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It is also important to note that this warming limit refers to long-term warming over the course of many years, not just an individual month or year.
Climate change threatens the global hydrological cycle
Warming temperatures are also affecting the hydrological cycle, causing more extreme weather events and hazards across the globe. The WMO’s report on global water resources reveals a direct relationship between human activity and the changes in the hydrological cycle, which can be attributed to climate change.
Rising temperatures increase the rate of evaporation which causes extreme droughts and dry soils. A warmer atmosphere also holds more water in the air, causing less frequent precipitation. And, when that precipitation does fall, it is heavier and greatly increases the risk of flooding. Melting glaciers and sea ice are also contributing to the increased flooding due to sea level rise.
The damage of these changes in the hydrological cycle are also more extensive than they may seem; aside from causing droughts and flooding hazards, the world’s freshwater and food supply will also be heavily impacted. According to UN Water, 3.6 billion people currently do not have access to a sufficient water supply for at least one month each year; this number is expected to increase to more than 5 billion people by 2050. According to the WMO, over 70% of all water withdrawals are used in food production, so melting glaciers will have a direct effect on the global freshwater and food security.
The WMO’s report, which combines the input of dozens of experts, is a “call to action for more data sharing to enable meaningful early warnings and for more coordinated and integrated water management policies that are an integral part of climate action.”
Technical terms used in this article:
COP28: the 28th UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Conference of the Parties which will be held from November 30th - December 12th, 2023
Hydrological cycle: also known as the water cycle, it is the continuous circulation of water in the Earth as it moves around in different states (e.g. frozen in glaciers or as liquid in the oceans)
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