World’s Hottest 12 Months on Record: Climate Change and El Niño

Between November 2022 and October 2023, the world experienced its hottest 12-month period in recorded history. 

The average global temperature rose by more than 1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

Climate Central scientists discovered that human-caused climate change has significantly raised temperatures around the world. 

According to the report, El Niño, just started to increase temperatures, and the greatest amount of the effect will be felt next year, based on historical patterns. 

El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusually elevated temperatures of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.  

According to Friederike Otto, the lead scientist for World Weather Attribution, heatwaves had by far the most potent climate change fingerprints.  

“For heatwaves, climate change is really an absolute game changer,” she stated. 

She also added that the science behind it is straightforward: the more greenhouse gases we release into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, the warmer the atmosphere becomes. 

Over the last year, a quarter of the population worldwide experienced a five-day heatwave that was at least twice as likely to occur due to human-induced climate change.” 

Houston, Texas experienced a 22-day heatwave during the recent severe heatwaves in the US. 

During the previous year, twelve cities in the US had heatwaves lasting five days or more, with an average Climate Shift Index of 5.
This means that climate change has increased the likelihood of such weather by at least a factor of five. 

Both Jakarta and Tangerang in Indonesia experienced a 17-day heatwave that was made five times more likely due to human-induced climate change. 

Dr Kimutai, Meteorologist, said There would continue to be yearly fluctuations. 

“The temperatures might be up and down, which is a feature of the atmosphere anyway, of the system,” she continued. 

She further added “But we are seeing a constant trend, a constant upward trend in the warming of the planet.”