Provisional data from U.S. researchers reveals that the global average temperature has reached its highest level on record, highlighting the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis.
On Tuesday, the planet’s average daily temperature hit 17.18°C (62.9°F), according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, a key reference tool for climate scientists.
This new record follows a historic high of 17°C reached just the day before, marking the first time in 44 years of recorded data that such temperatures were observed.
The previous record of 16.92°C was set on August 14, 2016. Bill McGuire, a professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London, described the consecutive record-breaking days as “totally unprecedented and terrifying.”
El Niño intensifies climate crisis as temperature records continue to shatter worldwide.The unprecedented heat is compounded by the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, which the World Meteorological Organization recently confirmed. El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by warmer sea surface temperatures, is expected to further elevate global temperatures and exacerbate extreme weather events.
This phenomenon, which occurs every two to seven years, is anticipated to peak in December, with potential global temperature increases likely to surpass 1.5°C above preindustrial levels—a critical threshold set by the 2015 Paris Agreement to prevent dangerous climate impacts.
Researchers are alarmed by the rapid rise in temperatures on land and sea, with extreme weather events becoming increasingly common.
Robert Rohde from Berkeley Earth highlighted that current data, while limited to 1979, suggests recent temperatures are the highest recorded in a long time, likely surpassing historical records.
The current climate situation reflects a shift towards an “unfamiliar world,” underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive climate action.