Imagine our planet, once steadily predictable, has now seen every single one of its ten hottest years occur in just the last decade, with sea levels surging at an ever-quickening pace and ice vanishing from poles to mountaintops.
Key Takeaways
- Global average surface temperature has risen by approximately 1.09°C (2°F) since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), with the majority of warming occurring in the past 40 years.
- The year 2023 was the warmest on record, exceeding the previous record set in 2016 by 0.17°C (0.3°F), with temperatures 1.48°C (2.66°F) above the 20th-century average.
- Ten warmest years in the global instrumental temperature record have all occurred since 2014, with each of the last four decades being successively warmer than any preceding decade.
- Global sea levels have risen by 21-24 cm (8-9 inches) since 1880, with the rate accelerating to 4.62 mm per year from 2013-2022.
- Ocean heat content has increased by 436 zettajoules since 1955, equivalent to the energy needed to heat 91 billion homes for a year.
- Sea surface temperatures have risen by 0.88°C since 1850-1900, accounting for 91% of excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
- Arctic sea ice extent has declined by 12.6% per decade since 1979, reaching a record low minimum of 3.39 million km² in 2012.
- Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest extent on record in February 2023 at 1.79 million km², 30% below the 1981-2010 average.
- Greenland ice sheet lost an average of 279 Gt of ice per year from 1993-2019, contributing 0.75 mm/yr to sea level rise.
- The frequency of tropical cyclones with rapid intensification has increased by 25% since 1980.
- Global economic losses from weather-related disasters have risen to $155 billion annually (2000-2019 average), adjusted for inflation.
- Drought frequency has increased in the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and parts of South America since 1950.
- Global atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 419 ppm in 2023, up 50% from pre-industrial 280 ppm.
- Human activities have emitted 2,500 GtCO2 since 1850, with fossil fuels contributing 75%.
- Methane concentrations have risen 164% since 1750 to 1,919 ppb in 2022.
Multiple records confirm Earth's warming is widespread, rapid, and accelerating.
Atmospheric Temperature
- Global average surface temperature has risen by approximately 1.09°C (2°F) since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), with the majority of warming occurring in the past 40 years.
- The year 2023 was the warmest on record, exceeding the previous record set in 2016 by 0.17°C (0.3°F), with temperatures 1.48°C (2.66°F) above the 20th-century average.
- Ten warmest years in the global instrumental temperature record have all occurred since 2014, with each of the last four decades being successively warmer than any preceding decade.
- Arctic temperatures have increased at almost four times the global average rate over the past 50 years, leading to a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification.
- Land surface temperatures have warmed faster than ocean surfaces, with land areas experiencing 1.59°C (2.86°F) of warming since 1850-1900 compared to 0.88°C (1.58°F) for oceans.
- Nighttime temperatures have risen more than daytime temperatures globally, narrowing the diurnal temperature range by about 0.3°C since 1950.
- Heatwaves have become more frequent and intense, with the number of heatwave days increasing by 55% in the U.S. since 1961.
- Global tropospheric temperatures from satellite data show a warming trend of 0.20°C per decade since 1979.
- The rate of global temperature increase accelerated to 0.20°C per decade from 1982-2022, compared to 0.09°C per decade from 1970-2022.
- Europe has warmed twice as fast as the global average, with a temperature increase of about 2.2°C since pre-industrial times.
- Global average surface temperature has risen by approximately 1.09°C (2°F) since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), with the majority of warming occurring in the past 40 years.
- The year 2023 was the warmest on record, exceeding the previous record set in 2016 by 0.17°C (0.3°F), with temperatures 1.48°C (2.66°F) above the 20th-century average.
- Ten warmest years in the global instrumental temperature record have all occurred since 2014, with each of the last four decades being successively warmer than any preceding decade.
- Arctic temperatures have increased at almost four times the global average rate over the past 50 years, leading to a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification.
- Land surface temperatures have warmed faster than ocean surfaces, with land areas experiencing 1.59°C (2.86°F) of warming since 1850-1900 compared to 0.88°C (1.58°F) for oceans.
- Nighttime temperatures have risen more than daytime temperatures globally, narrowing the diurnal temperature range by about 0.3°C since 1950.
- Heatwaves have become more frequent and intense, with the number of heatwave days increasing by 55% in the U.S. since 1961.
- Global tropospheric temperatures from satellite data show a warming trend of 0.20°C per decade since 1979.
- The rate of global temperature increase accelerated to 0.20°C per decade from 1982-2022, compared to 0.09°C per decade from 1970-2022.
- Europe has warmed twice as fast as the global average, with a temperature increase of about 2.2°C since pre-industrial times.
Atmospheric Temperature Interpretation
The planet is feverishly breaking its own temperature records with an alarming and accelerating consistency, as if it's trying to tell us that our casual experiment with the atmosphere has become a high-stakes emergency.
Cryosphere
- Arctic sea ice extent has declined by 12.6% per decade since 1979, reaching a record low minimum of 3.39 million km² in 2012.
- Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest extent on record in February 2023 at 1.79 million km², 30% below the 1981-2010 average.
- Greenland ice sheet lost an average of 279 Gt of ice per year from 1993-2019, contributing 0.75 mm/yr to sea level rise.
- Antarctic ice sheet mass loss increased from 40 Gt/yr (1992-2001) to 252 Gt/yr (2012-2021).
- Glacier mass loss worldwide was 267 Gt/yr from 2000-2019, with 47% from Alaska, 21% from periphery glaciers.
- Permafrost thaw in the Northern Hemisphere has released 1,672 Pg of organic carbon, with 1,500 Pg still at risk.
- Snow cover extent in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased by 3.3% per decade since 1978, particularly in spring.
- Greenland's ice sheet surface melting increased from 30 Gt/yr (1981-2010) to 170 Gt/yr (2011-2020).
- Late summer Arctic sea ice volume has declined by 75% since 1979, from 17,000 km³ to about 4,000 km³.
- Mountain glacier retreat has accelerated, with 19,351 glaciers inventoried in 2022 down from previous counts.
- Arctic sea ice extent has declined by 12.6% per decade since 1979, reaching a record low minimum of 3.39 million km² in 2012.
- Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest extent on record in February 2023 at 1.79 million km², 30% below the 1981-2010 average.
- Greenland ice sheet lost an average of 279 Gt of ice per year from 1993-2019, contributing 0.75 mm/yr to sea level rise.
- Antarctic ice sheet mass loss increased from 40 Gt/yr (1992-2001) to 252 Gt/yr (2012-2021).
- Glacier mass loss worldwide was 267 Gt/yr from 2000-2019, with 47% from Alaska, 21% from periphery glaciers.
Cryosphere Interpretation
The planet's ice is throwing a going-out-of-business sale, and the grand opening is for rising oceans.
Extreme Weather Events
- The frequency of tropical cyclones with rapid intensification has increased by 25% since 1980.
- Global economic losses from weather-related disasters have risen to $155 billion annually (2000-2019 average), adjusted for inflation.
- Drought frequency has increased in the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and parts of South America since 1950.
- Heavy precipitation events have increased in frequency and intensity over most land areas since 1950, with 9% more rain in wettest days.
- The proportion of intense tropical cyclones (Category 4-5) has increased globally, with a 25% rise in major hurricanes.
- Wildfire burned area in western U.S. increased by 400% since 1984 due to climate conditions.
- Compound hot and dry events have doubled in frequency in the Mediterranean since 1970.
- Flood events globally have risen by 134% since 1980, affecting 2.3 billion people.
- Heatwave duration in Europe increased from 1.5 days (1971-2000) to 3.3 days (2001-2020).
Extreme Weather Events Interpretation
The bill for our planetary fever has come due, with a relentless cascade of fiercer storms, deeper droughts, explosive fires, and suffocating heatwaves, all delivering destruction on an industrial scale.
Greenhouse Gases and Emissions
- Global atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 419 ppm in 2023, up 50% from pre-industrial 280 ppm.
- Human activities have emitted 2,500 GtCO2 since 1850, with fossil fuels contributing 75%.
- Methane concentrations have risen 164% since 1750 to 1,919 ppb in 2022.
- Cumulative CO2 emissions from 1850-2019 total 2,390 GtCO2, causing 0.8°C-1.3°C of warming.
- N2O levels increased 23% since pre-industrial to 335 ppb, primarily from agriculture.
- Fossil CO2 emissions grew by 0.9% in 2022 to 36.8 GtCO2, with coal at 40% share.
- Land-use change emissions averaged 1.5 GtCO2 per year (2000-2019), mainly deforestation.
- Radiative forcing from GHGs reached 3.24 W/m² in 2021 compared to 1750.
- Aviation emitted 1.0 GtCO2 in 2019, 2.5% of global total with contrail effects doubling impact.
Greenhouse Gases and Emissions Interpretation
We have, with the grim precision of an invoice, filled Earth's atmosphere with a 50% surcharge of CO2 and a cocktail of potent side-gases, booking ourselves a suite of planetary changes we are now obliged to check into.
Ocean and Sea Level
- Global sea levels have risen by 21-24 cm (8-9 inches) since 1880, with the rate accelerating to 4.62 mm per year from 2013-2022.
- Ocean heat content has increased by 436 zettajoules since 1955, equivalent to the energy needed to heat 91 billion homes for a year.
- Sea surface temperatures have risen by 0.88°C since 1850-1900, accounting for 91% of excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
- The global mean sea level rose at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year from 1901-1990, increasing to 3.7 mm/year from 2006-2018.
- Thermal expansion of seawater due to warming has contributed about 50% to sea level rise since 1971, totaling 0.55 m if projected to 2100.
- Ocean acidification has increased by 30% since the Industrial Revolution, with surface ocean pH dropping from 8.2 to 8.1.
- The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) has weakened by 15% since the mid-20th century.
- Global mean steric sea level rise from 1901-2018 was 0.43 m, with 42% due to thermal expansion and 58% from mass addition.
- Coral reefs have experienced mass bleaching events every 6 years on average since 1980, compared to every 25-30 years prior.
- The upper 2000m ocean layer absorbed 91% of excess heat from 1971-2010, with heat content increasing by 0.51 [0.43-0.60] × 10^22 J per year.
- Global sea levels have risen by 21-24 cm (8-9 inches) since 1880, with the rate accelerating to 4.62 mm per year from 2013-2022.
- Ocean heat content has increased by 436 zettajoules since 1955, equivalent to the energy needed to heat 91 billion homes for a year.
- Sea surface temperatures have risen by 0.88°C since 1850-1900, accounting for 91% of excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
- The global mean sea level rose at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year from 1901-1990, increasing to 3.7 mm/year from 2006-2018.
- Thermal expansion of seawater due to warming has contributed about 50% to sea level rise since 1971, totaling 0.55 m if projected to 2100.
- Ocean acidification has increased by 30% since the Industrial Revolution, with surface ocean pH dropping from 8.2 to 8.1.
- The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) has weakened by 15% since the mid-20th century.
- Global mean steric sea level rise from 1901-2018 was 0.43 m, with 42% due to thermal expansion and 58% from mass addition.
- Coral reefs have experienced mass bleaching events every 6 years on average since 1980, compared to every 25-30 years prior.
- The upper 2000m ocean layer absorbed 91% of excess heat from 1971-2010, with heat content increasing by 0.51 [0.43-0.60] × 10^22 J per year.
Ocean and Sea Level Interpretation
Our planet’s fever is being soaked up by the oceans, which are now expanding, souring, and simmering us toward a future where the tides quite literally have more to say.
Sources & References
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