The past 12 months have been marked by record-breaking heat, with warmer weather already spreading across Asia and a hotter-than-usual summer expected in Europe. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, last month’s temperatures globally were 1.58°C (2.8°F) above historical averages, making it the hottest April on record.
The continuous increase in greenhouse gases’ concentrations is trapping extra energy in the ocean and atmosphere, leading to the global temperature pushing towards new records. Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo emphasized the importance of monitoring and addressing these trends to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The Copernicus program, which is the world’s largest provider of climate data, utilizes billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations worldwide for its monthly and seasonal forecasts. Despite temperature variations associated with natural cycles like El Niño, the past 12 months have been 1.61°C higher than pre-industrial temperatures, surpassing the 1.5°C threshold that could pose a threat to life on the planet.