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Last month was the world’s hottest February in modern times as temperatures have hit record numbers every month for the past nine months.
Since June 2023, each month has seen temperature highs way above record temperatures for the time of year, and questions over climate change also continue to rise.
Antarctic sea ice has hit extreme lows while the world’s sea surface is the hottest it has ever been.
Until 2017, the Antarctic defied predictions that the sea ice would shrink. Recent records show that now the ice is under threat, similar to the Arctic sea ice which has been on the decline for years.
Human climate change is the main reason for the temperature changes.
Professor Celeste Saulo, Secretary of the World Meteorological Organization, said “Heat-trapping greenhouse gases are unequivocally the main culprit.”
According to the UN’s climate body, carbon dioxide concentrations are at their highest levels than they have ever been in the past two million years and this has increased over the past year by a near-record amount.
The natural weather event called El Niño was declared in June 2023 when it emerged in the Pacific Ocean. The natural phenomenon fluctuated the entire climate system on Earth, adding to the increased pressure of keeping the world’s temperatures down.
The powerful event is set to end in the Spring of 2024 however, the challenge still stands to keep the rise in global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius as agreed in Paris in 2015 by nearly 200 countries.
What can you do?
There are many ways we can all contribute to the reduction of climate change before it is too late.
Saving energy at home by turning off the lights and running water when not being used is a really simple first step to reducing how much energy we unnecessarily use.
Cycling or walking to work or school and not using public transport or cars can significantly reduce the number of harmful gases released into our atmosphere.
Reducing food waste will help reduce the amount of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, that is released into the atmosphere when food is rotting in a landfill, so be wise when it comes to deciding how much food you are buying and composting any leftovers.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle–from the clothes we wear to the electronics we use, the production of these items all produce carbon emissions at one point or another, from their manufacturing to the transportation of them. Buying fewer things, shopping for second-hand items, and recycling help to control the climate.
If possible, using a renewable energy source for your home is a great way to reduce carbon emissions. Oil, coal, and gas are all harmful to the environment, and using wind or solar energy sources is a much safer option.
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