Climate Extremes of 2023 WMO Report
A recent report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that many climate records were broken or greatly surpassed in 2023. This includes levels of greenhouse gases, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover, and glacier retreat.
The WMO report states that extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones caused a lot of damage and suffering worldwide in 2023. These events disrupted the lives of millions of people and led to economic losses totaling billions of dollars.
According to the report, 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global average near-surface temperature reaching 1.45 °C above pre-industrial levels. This also marked the warmest ten-year period on record.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, commented that many climate records were broken, indicating a worrying acceleration of climate change.
The WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, emphasized that the world is very close to reaching the lower limit set by the Paris Agreement on climate change. She stressed the urgent need for action to address the climate crisis.
The report highlights concerns about the unprecedented warmth in the oceans, glacier retreat, and loss of Antarctic sea ice observed in 2023. Nearly one third of the global ocean experienced marine heatwaves, causing harm to ecosystems and food systems.
Glaciers around the world experienced significant ice loss, particularly in North America and Europe. Antarctic sea ice extent hit a record low, and the rate of sea level rise accelerated.
Extreme weather events such as floods, tropical cyclones, heatwaves, and wildfires had major impacts across the globe. These events displaced millions of people and exacerbated food insecurity.
Despite these challenges, there is some hope in the surge of renewable energy generation. Renewable capacity additions increased by almost 50% in 2023, indicating progress in decarbonization efforts.
Climate leaders and ministers from around the world will gather in Copenhagen for the Climate Ministerial to discuss accelerated climate action. Enhancing countries’ climate commitments and agreeing on financing strategies will be key topics of discussion.
The report underscores the importance of effective early warning systems and local disaster risk reduction strategies in reducing the impact of climate-related disasters.
While climate finance flows have increased, there is still a significant financing gap, especially for adaptation efforts in developing countries.
In summary, the State of the Global Climate report highlights the urgent need for action to address the climate crisis and its impacts on communities worldwide.
Recent Climate -Record-Breaking Year for Climate Extremes of 2023 WMO Report, Climate Extremes of 2023 WMO Report