WASHINGTON, Aug 14 — July was the warmest month last month, marking the fourteenth consecutive year on record, the US Environmental Protection Agency said on Monday.
A monthly report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said there is a 77 percent chance that 2024 will now be the hottest year on record.
NOAA’s July calculation contradicts the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Monitor, which — using a different dataset — calculated last month’s average temperature to be slightly lower than July 2023.
However, both agencies acknowledge the alarming trend of record-breaking heat, with last year seeing new highs every month.
According to NOAA, whose historical data goes back 175 years, 2024 will almost certainly be one of the five warmest years on record.
In July, global temperatures were 1.21 degrees Celsius higher than the 20th century average of 15.8 degrees Celsius, the US agency said.
NOAA reports that the Mediterranean and Gulf states have seen a series of heat waves this month.
Africa, Europe and Asia recorded the highest temperatures in July, while North America was the second warmest.
According to NOAA, ocean temperatures in July were their second warmest — the same reading as Copernicus.
Last week, Copernicus scientists noted that „air temperatures over the ocean remained unusually high despite the oscillations of the El Nino weather system,” which helped boost global temperatures to its cooling counterpart, La Nina.
Last year was also the hottest year on record.
„The catastrophic effects of climate change begin as early as 2023 and will continue until global greenhouse gas emissions reach net zero,” said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of He Copernicus. – AFP
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