In 2023, the Earth shattered the global heat record, coming within close proximity to the 1.5-degree Celsius warming limit set by the Paris climate accord, as reported by the European climate agency Copernicus. The annual average temperature was 1.48 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with January 2024 projected to breach the critical threshold. Widespread extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, storms, and wildfires, wreaked havoc globally. Copernicus emphasized the dominant role of escalating greenhouse gas levels in driving the record warmth. The United States saw a record 28 weather disasters, while Antarctic sea ice reached unprecedented lows in 2023.
2023’s New World Record For Global Heat
