Report: Earth Marks 12th Straight Month of Record Heat
Scientists from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (CCCS) on Wednesday announced that May 2024 was the twelfth straight month of record-warm global temperatures — the second-longest similar recorded streak, according to the service's data....
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Facts
- Scientists from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (CCCS) on Wednesday announced that May 2024 was the twelfth straight month of record-warm global temperatures — the second-longest similar recorded streak, according to the service's data.1
- Previously, scientists in January announced that 2023 was the hottest calendar year on record — but record heat wasn't notched in all 12 months of that year.1
- Also, the global average temperature from June 2023 to May 2024 was 1.63 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average. Climate scientists have often warned the planet must maintain global temperatures no hotter than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average to limit the risk of catastrophic climate damage.2
- Carlo Buontempo, director of the CCCS, said the 12-month streak is 'shocking but not surprising' and 'this string of hottest months will be remembered as comparatively cold' because the heating trend — despite some likely anticipated interruptions — overall has shown no sign of changing.2
- This comes in the same week a group of 57 scientists from around the world announced, using United Nations-approved methods of examining global warming, they found that 92% of the Earth's record-breaking warming in 2023 was caused by humans.3
Sources: 1USA Today, 2CBS and 3US News & World Report.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Axios.com. World leaders must listen to the planet and do whatever it takes to stop this warming trend. Even though there are other issues — including geopolitical strife and multiple crucial elections — distracting the world, the fact that the Earth is regularly surpassing the pre-industrial average temperature has to stay at the forefront. This is vital to preventing an irreversible calamity.
- Narrative B, as provided by Los Angeles Times. Taking action — if any is necessary — will be easier once scientists are able to better discern what's causing these records to be broken. It's possible that it's just a blip caused by numerous factors, such as El Niño, or perhaps experts have misjudged what's been causing global warming for years. Regardless, more research is necessary before major and alarmist steps are taken.
