A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that records were once again broken, and in some cases smashed, for greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover, and glacier retreat.
According to a stark warning from the WMO, it was the warmest 10-year period on record.
Several independent data sets confirmed 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded. Global average near-surface temperatures skyrocketed to a scorching 2.61°Fahrenheit (1.45°Celsius) above pre-industrial levels, a time roughly corresponding to the late 18th century before the widespread burning of fossil fuels began significantly altering Earth’s climate.
Understanding the distinction between weather and climate can be perplexing. Weather encompasses the day-to-day or even hourly variations in temperature, precipitation, and sunlight. These natural fluctuations can sometimes obscure the broader patterns at play.
For instance, a particularly hot year, such as the record-breaking 2023, might seem like just another temporary anomaly amidst the ebb and flow of weather patterns.
However, it’s essential to recognize that while individual weather events may appear as isolated incidents, their cumulative impact shapes the long-term average, leading to changes in what we expect from the climate. Climate represents the overarching trends and averages over extended periods, revealing shifts that are occurring due to the overarching influence of rising global temperatures.
The latest report from the WMO underscores this distinction, highlighting how ongoing climate change alters these long-term averages, reshaping our expectations for weather patterns and conditions.
“Climate change is about much more than temperatures. What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “The WMO community is sounding the Red Alert to the world.”
Glaciers suffered the largest loss of ice on record (since 1950), driven by extreme melt in both western North America and Europe and the Antarctic sea ice extent was the lowest on record, below the previous record year equivalent to the combined size of France and Germany.
- On an average day in 2023, nearly one-third of the global ocean was gripped by a marine heatwave, harming vital ecosystems and food systems.