The U.N. weather agency said in its annual State of the Global Climate report that average temperatures hit the highest level in 174 years of record-keeping by a clear margin, reaching 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, coupled with the emergence of the natural El Nino climate pattern, pushed the world into record territory in 2023.

Ocean temperatures also reached the warmest in 65 years of data with over 90% of the seas having experienced heatwave conditions during the year, the WMO said, harming food systems. “What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat, and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern.”

Read Also : IndusInd Bank Q1 FY25 results, net profit at 2% YoY

WMO’s head of climate monitoring, Omar Baddour, told reporters there was a “high probability” that 2024 would set new heat records, saying that the year after an El Nino was typically warmer still. Ocean heat was concentrated in the North Atlantic with temperatures an average of 3 degrees Celsius above average in late 2023, the report said. Warmer ocean temperatures affect delicate marine ecosystems and many fish species have fled north from this area seeking cooler temperatures.

 

Read Also : RBI issues guidelines on higher liquidity coverage ratio for retail deposits

The report from Tuesday highlights a considerable decline in Antarctic sea ice. The peak level observed was one million km2 below the previous record, which is roughly equivalent to the size of Egypt. Additionally, the warming of the ocean that causes water to expand has led to a more than doubled rate of sea-level rise over the past decade, as compared to the period between 1993-2002.

 

 

Read Also : India assumes the Chair of Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre