NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: July is all set to become the hottest month in recorded history. With the excessive rise in temperatures, the entire northern hemisphere is reeling, resulting from the heat waves. While the trend was noticed for the last few years, all records this July, leading to the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, remark that "the era of global boiling has arrived."
Scientists fear that the high temperatures can be a forewarning to greater risk, warning that it will be much more than just devastating frequent floods and long-lasting wildfires. The never-ending burning of fossil fuels is said to have caused the global temperature to rise by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celcius) more than the pre-industrial times, leading to the era of "global boiling," which is the latest threat to human civilization.
What is 'global boiling'?
The World Meteorological Organization and the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service declared on Thursday, July 27, that the ongoing month witnessed record-breaking heat, with Earth's temperature temporarily exceeding the permissible warming threshold. While the international goal of limiting the temperature rise is 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celcius), July witnessed temperatures that passed over the threshold quite many times. For instance, 16 days in July were reported to have been considerably warmer than the pre-industrial era, as per Fox 5. The publication also noted that even though the specified temperature level has been evaded earlier, it never occurred in July. The US Southwest has been reeling in a month-long heat wave, contributing to the rising temperatures in some parts of the Midwest and East.
Furthermore, the UN Secretary-General Guterres remarked on Thursday, July 27, that "humanity is in the hot seat." He explained, "For vast parts of North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, it is a cruel summer. For the entire planet, it is a disaster. And for scientists, it is unequivocal – humans are to blame." "All this is entirely consistent with predictions and repeated warnings. The only surprise is the speed of the change," he added before highlighting, "Climate change is here, it is terrifying, and it is just the beginning. The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived."Guterres remarked, "The air is unbreathable, the heat is unbearable, and the level of fossil fuel profits and climate inaction is unacceptable. Leaders must lead. No more hesitancy, no more excuses, no more waiting for others to move first. There is simply no more time for that," according to The Guardian.
He went on to say that there is still hope left if the human being can take some "dramatic, immediate climate action," adding, "It is still possible to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C and avoid the very worst of climate change but only with dramatic, immediate climate action." Concurring that climate change efforts do work, he added, "We have seen some progress – a robust rollout of renewables and some positive steps from sectors such as shipping – but none of this is going far enough or fast enough. Accelerating temperatures demand accelerated action."
'Climate action is not a luxury but a must'
The UN Secretary-General's claims were backed by other people involved in similar studies. The Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo said, "Unless an ice age were to appear all of sudden out of nothing, it is basically virtually certain we will break the record for the warmest July on record and the warmest month on record," to The Associated Press. On the other hand, the WMO Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas stated, "The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever before. Climate action is not a luxury but a must." "Barring a major asteroid impact today, it is virtually certain that July 2023 will be the warmest month on record by a large margin. I personally find the magnitude of this record a bit stunning. We don’t see anything analogous in the historical record for the month of July," expressed Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist from the nonprofit Berkeley Earth.
