Filenews 11 October 2024
Last month was the second warmest September on record globally in a year that is "almost certain" to be recorded as the warmest on record, Copernicus, the European Union's Earth observation programme, said.
September saw extreme rainfall and devastating storms around the world, weather events that occur with greater intensity and frequency as temperatures rise due to climate change.
The average global temperature last month was the second highest after September 2023, according to the Copernicus service, which uses billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations for its calculations.
Last year was the warmest on record, but 2024 looks set to repeat that record.
Global warming means not only warming, but also the phenomenon of trapping in the atmosphere and seas due to excess heat.
Warmer air can hold more water vapour, and warmer oceans bring more evaporation of water, which affects rainfall and results in more intense rainfall and storms.
During September, parts of the world experienced "rainfall within a few days that normally occur over the course of a month," said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
"The occurrences of extreme rainfall this month, which we are seeing more and more frequently, have been exacerbated by the warmer atmosphere. The risk from extreme rainfall will continue to increase with rising temperatures," Burgess adds.
In a month of extreme weather, Typhoon Elin pounded the southeastern United States, Typhoon Crathon pounded Taiwan, and Storm Boris caused flooding and destruction in central Europe.
Typhoons Yagi and Bebinka left massive devastation in Asia, while deadly floods hit Nepal, Japan, west and central Africa.
According to Copernicus, above-average humidity conditions were observed in parts of Africa, Russia, China and Australia, while Pakistan was hit hard by the monsoon.
Copernicus announced that the period from January to September 2024 has already hit record highs "making it almost clear that 2024 will be the warmest year on record".
Fourteen of the last 15 months recorded temperatures at least 1.5 degrees Celsius above the average compared to the pre-industrial era, i.e. the period 1850-1900.
This is not a violation of the Paris climate agreement, which aims to limit the greenhouse effect to well below 2 degrees Celsius and preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius because this limit is measured over decades rather than individual years.
But scientists warn that the 1.5 degree target seems unattainable.
International efforts to reduce global warming from emissions of exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide will result in global temperatures rising by up to 2.9 degrees Celsius by 2100, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, have risen in recent years although scientists warn they need to be halved this decade.
