00:00 The European Climate Agency, Copernicus, revealed that 2023 shattered global annual heat records,
00:08 pushing the planet closer to the dangerous warming threshold.
00:12 Copernicus disclosed that 2023 was 1.48 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
00:20 This unsettling revelation places us on the precipice of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit
00:26 set in the 2015 Paris Climate Accord.
00:29 The limit is crucial for avoiding the most severe consequences of global warming.
00:35 Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess warned that January 2024 is poised to break
00:40 new ground, marking the first time a 12-month period will surpass the 1.5-degree threshold.
00:46 The urgency to maintain the 1.5-degree goal is emphasised, as Burgess stated that lives
00:51 are at risk and choices have to be made.
00:55 The record heat experienced in 2023 wreaked havoc across the globe, impacting Europe,
01:00 North America, China and beyond.
01:03 Scientists attribute these extreme weather events to a warming climate, citing devastation
01:08 droughts in the Horn of Africa, lethal downpours in Libya and the Canada-wide fires that blanketed
01:14 North America and Europe in smog.
01:17 While the world collectively recognised the need to transition away from fossil fuels
01:22 at the annual United Nations climate talks in December, no concrete requirements were
01:27 set.
01:28 Copernicus identifies greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal, oil and natural gas as
01:33 the primary culprit behind 2023's record-breaking temperatures.
01:38 Burgess underscores various contributing factors, such as the natural El Nino, oceanic
01:44 oscillations, increased solar activity and even the undersea volcanic eruption in 2022
01:49 that injected water vapour into the atmosphere.
01:53 With El Nino and record ocean heat levels, Burgess expressed deep concern.
01:57 She stated that 2024 is extremely likely to surpass the scorching temperatures witnessed
02:02 in 2023.
02:04 Copernicus' records spanning back to 1940 provide a snapshot of the escalating climate
02:10 crisis.
02:11 However, other renowned institutions such as NASA and NOAA are expected to release their
02:16 calculations for 2023 later this week, potentially unveiling even more alarming figures.
02:22 Amid this grim news, Copernicus highlighted unprecedented anomalies, recording days when
02:27 the global temperature exceeded 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
02:32 This occurred twice in 2023, narrowly missing a third occurrence around Christmas.
02:37 Shockingly, every single day of the year was at least 1 degree Celsius warmer than pre-industrial
02:43 times, with 173 days surpassing the critical 1.5-degree mark.
03:02 [BLANK_AUDIO]
Comments