Global Temperatures on the Rise: 11 Consecutive Months of Record-Breaking Heat

April 2024 broke records as the Earth experienced its 11th consecutive month of record-breaking heat. The warmer weather has been sweeping across Asia, with a hotter-than-usual summer expected in Europe. According to Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo, while temperature fluctuations related to natural cycles like El Niño may come and go, the additional energy trapped in the ocean and atmosphere due to increasing greenhouse gas concentrations will continue to push global temperatures to new records.

In a photo captured in Bangkok, Thailand, a man unloads blocks of ice from a truck amidst high temperatures on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy has been preparing for hotter-than-normal days as a result of the El Niño weather pattern forecasted to last until June. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that last month’s temperatures globally were 1.58C (2.8F) above historical averages, making it the hottest April on record. Over the past 12 months, temperatures have been 1.61C higher than pre-industrial levels, surpassing the 1.5C threshold that could pose a threat to life on the planet.

The Copernicus program is the world’s largest provider of climate data and utilizes data from billions of measurements collected from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations worldwide for its monthly and seasonal forecasts. The ongoing trend of record-breaking heat and rising global temperatures highlights the potential consequences of our actions towards the environment