In 2023, the global average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time on record, with July 2023 confirmed as the hottest month in at least 120,000 years. Extreme weather events intensified worldwide — record wildfires in Canada blanketed North American cities in smoke, lethal heatwaves struck Southern Europe and South Asia, and flooding devastated Libya. While a single year above 1.5 degrees does not mean the Paris Agreement's long-term target has been permanently breached, climate scientists warned that the threshold was approaching faster than projected. The milestone underscored the urgency of emissions reductions and adaptation measures.
Continue reading