As our world shatters temperature records with alarming consistency, the statistics from 2023 paint an undeniably urgent portrait of a planet in peril, from its feverish atmosphere and rising seas to its vanishing ice and intensifying extremes.
Key Takeaways
- Global mean surface temperature for 2023 was 1.18°C (2.12°F) above the 1951-1980 average, marking the warmest year on record
- The global average surface temperature in 2023 was about 2.43°F (1.35°C) warmer than the late 19th-century (1850-1900) baseline
- Earth's average surface temperature rose by 0.11°F (0.06°C) per decade since 1850, or about 2°F in the last century
- Atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 419.3 ppm in May 2023 at Mauna Loa
- Annual average CO2 at Mauna Loa was 418.56 ppm in 2023, highest on record
- Global average atmospheric CO2 was 417.5 ppm in 2022, up 2.4 ppm from 2021
- Global sea level rose by 21-24 cm since 1880, with 8-9 cm since 1993
- Rate of global sea level rise increased from 1.4 mm/yr (20th century) to 4.62 mm/yr (2013-2022)
- Sea level rise 101.4 mm since 1993 per satellite altimetry
- Arctic sea ice minimum extent 4.23 million km² in 2023, lowest on record since 1979
- Greenland Ice Sheet surface mass balance -84 Gt net loss in 2022-2023
- Antarctic sea ice extent minimum 1.79 million km² in Feb 2023, record low
- Number of Category 4-5 hurricanes doubled since 1970
- U.S. billion-dollar disasters averaged 23/yr 2020-2023 vs 6.5/yr 1980-2019
- Global drought area increased 14% since 2000
Global temperatures are hitting record highs and accelerating alarmingly.
Extreme Weather Events
- Number of Category 4-5 hurricanes doubled since 1970
- U.S. billion-dollar disasters averaged 23/yr 2020-2023 vs 6.5/yr 1980-2019
- Global drought area increased 14% since 2000
- Heatwaves frequency tripled since 1950s
- Wildfires burned 7.8 million ha in Canada 2023, 10x average
- Tropical cyclone wind intensity up 7% per decade since 1980
- Heavy precipitation events increased 30% in U.S. since 1960
- Europe 2023 heatwave caused 61,000 deaths
- Global compound hot-dry events doubled 1950-2020
- U.S. flash floods up 26% per decade 1965-2021
- Australian bushfires 2019-2020 emitted 715 MtCO2
- Intensity of rainfall from hurricanes increased 10% since 1970
- Pakistan 2022 floods affected 33 million, 1,700 deaths
- California drought 2020-2022 most severe in 1200 years
- Global thunderstorm days increased 12% per degree warming
- U.S. tornado intensity up, EF3+ from 4% to 12% 1980-2020
- Maui wildfires 2023 killed 100+, $5.5B damage
- India heatwave 2022 90°F nights caused 2,300 deaths
- Sahel droughts frequency doubled since 1980
- China floods 2021 displaced 15 million
- Atlantic hurricane rapid intensification events tripled since 1980
- European river floods economic loss €50B/yr projected +50% by 2050
- Global hail storm severity up 10% per decade
- U.S. heatwave index days above 90°F doubled since 1960s
- Brazil droughts 2010-2020 cost $100B agriculture
- Typhoon intensity North Pacific up 4% per decade
Extreme Weather Events Interpretation
Our planet’s weather is now shouting the invoice for our centuries of fossil fuel use in the form of deadlier storms, fiercer fires, and more frequent floods.
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations
- Atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 419.3 ppm in May 2023 at Mauna Loa
- Annual average CO2 at Mauna Loa was 418.56 ppm in 2023, highest on record
- Global average atmospheric CO2 was 417.5 ppm in 2022, up 2.4 ppm from 2021
- CO2 growth rate 2.6 ppm/yr average 2015-2023
- Methane concentration 1917 ppb in 2023, 150% above pre-industrial
- Nitrous oxide at 335.7 ppb in 2022, up 23% since 1750
- Total radiative forcing from well-mixed GHGs reached 3.24 W/m² in 2023 vs 1750
- CO2 accounted for 81% of GHG increase since 1970
- Global fossil CO2 emissions 36.8 GtCO2 in 2022
- Annual increase in atmospheric CO2 burden 11.3 GtC in 2023
- Keeling Curve shows CO2 seasonal cycle amplitude increased 50% since 1960s
- Isotopic ratio confirms fossil fuel origin of 90% recent CO2 rise
- HFCs reached 124 ppt in 2022, contributing 0.03 W/m² forcing
- SF6 concentration 10.4 ppt in 2023
- Global CH4 emissions from wetlands 30-40% of total
- CO2 fertilization increased terrestrial sink by 30% since 1900
- Ocean CO2 sink absorbed 26% of anthropogenic emissions 2012-2021
- Land sink took up 31% of emissions, residual 43% in atmosphere
- Arctic CH4 emissions quadrupled since 2000 due to thaw
- Global GHG emissions 59 GtCO2eq in 2019
- CO2 mole fraction 421.08 ppm global average 2023
- CH4 growth rate 10 ppb/yr since 2015
- N2O increase 0.9 ppb/yr
- Fluorinated gases up 50% since 2000
- Cumulative CO2 emissions 2390 GtCO2 since 1750
- 2023 CO2 emissions from energy 37.4 GtCO2
- Deforestation emitted 1.5 GtCO2 in 2022
- Cement production 2.3 GtCO2/yr average 2019-2023
- Aviation CO2 1 Gt/yr, 2.5% global total
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Interpretation
Our planet is currently conducting a reckless chemistry experiment with its own atmosphere, and the lab results show we're not just failing, we're acing the test in the worst possible way.
Ice and Glacier Melt
- Arctic sea ice minimum extent 4.23 million km² in 2023, lowest on record since 1979
- Greenland Ice Sheet surface mass balance -84 Gt net loss in 2022-2023
- Antarctic sea ice extent minimum 1.79 million km² in Feb 2023, record low
- Glacier volume loss worldwide 9,625 Gt since Little Ice Age
- Arctic sea ice volume declined 75% since 1979 satellite record
- Greenland ice loss 4,700 Gt 2002-2021
- Antarctic ice shelves lost 7.5 trillion tonnes 1997-2022, thinning 41m
- Spring snow cover in North America declined 4.2% per decade 1967-2022
- Alpine glaciers in Europe lost 50% volume since 1900
- Arctic old ice (>5 years) declined from 40% (1985) to 5% (2020)
- Glacier National Park lost 80% ice since 1910
- Pine Island Glacier ice shelf thinned 200m since 1990s
- Global glacier mass balance -1.3 m w.e./yr 2010-2019
- Svalbard glaciers lost 10 Gt/yr 2003-2015
- Canadian Arctic Archipelago ice loss 7,800 Gt 2003-2021
- Himalayan glaciers thinning 0.3-0.6 m/yr
- Patagonia ice fields lost 20 Gt/yr recently
- Alaska glaciers contribute 9% SLR, mass loss 75 Gt/yr
- Permafrost thaw released 1 GtC/yr
- Arctic sea ice thickness average 1.8 m in 2023 vs 3.5 m 1980
- Totten Glacier grounding line retreated 5 km since 2010
- Ellesmere Island ice shelves lost 60% since 1906
- Global glacier area reduced 13% since 1970s
- 2023 melt season Greenland 620 Gt ice loss
Ice and Glacier Melt Interpretation
The planet’s ancient ice, from its poles to its peaks, is not just retreating—it’s delivering a final invoice written in disappearing ink.
Rising Temperatures
- Global mean surface temperature for 2023 was 1.18°C (2.12°F) above the 1951-1980 average, marking the warmest year on record
- The global average surface temperature in 2023 was about 2.43°F (1.35°C) warmer than the late 19th-century (1850-1900) baseline
- Earth's average surface temperature rose by 0.11°F (0.06°C) per decade since 1850, or about 2°F in the last century
- From 1880 to 2023, average global temperatures have risen by 1.1°C (1.9°F)
- The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2014, with 2023 being the hottest
- Global land and ocean temperature anomalies for December 2023 were +1.40°C above the 20th century average
- The rate of global temperature increase has accelerated to 0.20°C per decade since 1982
- Northern Hemisphere experienced its warmest summer on record in 2023 with temperatures 0.89°C above the 1991-2020 average
- Global average temperature for 1910-2023 shows a warming trend of 0.08°C per decade, accelerating recently
- 2023 global temperature anomaly was +1.18°C relative to 1951-1980 baseline per NASA GISS
- Southern Hemisphere sea surface temperatures reached record highs in 2023, contributing to global warmth
- Annual global mean near-surface temperature for 2023 was 1.48°C above pre-industrial levels
- U.S. average temperature for 2023 was 54.4°F, 2.0°F above 20th century average
- Global temperature rise since 1850-1900 is 1.19°C [1.09 to 1.29°C] per WMO
- Ocean heat content increased by 436 zettajoules since 1971, driving surface warming
- Arctic amplification led to 3.8°C warming above 1850-1900 levels in 2014-2023
- Global warming hiatus periods show no statistical pause, with underlying trend intact
- Tropospheric temperature trends from satellites confirm 0.18°C/decade warming since 1979
- Surface air temperature over land rose by 1.59°C [1.34 to 1.83°C] from 1850-1900 to 2011-2020
- Hot extremes increased 5-fold globally since 1950 due to warming
- Global average temperature 2022 was 1.15°C above pre-industrial
- Warming over Europe 2023 was 2.99°C above 1850-1900 average
- Pacific Ocean temperatures hit record 21.23°C in July 2023
- Global TLT anomaly from RSS satellites was +0.75°C for 2023
- UAH v6.0 global temperature anomaly for 2023 lower troposphere was +0.48°C
- Berkeley Earth estimate for 2023 land+ocean temp anomaly +1.54°C vs 1850-1900
- HadCRUT5 dataset shows 2023 as warmest year at +1.08°C above 1961-1990
- JMA global land surface air temp anomaly 2023 +1.69°C vs 1951-1980
- NOAA global land-ocean temp index Dec 2023 +1.40°C vs 1901-2000
- GISTEMP v4 2023 annual mean +1.18°C vs 1951-1980
Rising Temperatures Interpretation
While 2023’s record heat, dramatically accelerating ocean warmth, and the relentless climb of global temperature datasets collectively sound less like a weather report and more like Earth turning up its furnace and asking, "Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"
Sea Level Rise
- Global sea level rose by 21-24 cm since 1880, with 8-9 cm since 1993
- Rate of global sea level rise increased from 1.4 mm/yr (20th century) to 4.62 mm/yr (2013-2022)
- Sea level rise 101.4 mm since 1993 per satellite altimetry
- Global mean sea level in 2023 was 0.21 m above 1993 level
- Thermal expansion contributed 50% of sea level rise 1971-2018
- Glacier mass loss 21±3 mm SLE since 1994
- Greenland ice sheet contributed 17.3 mm to SLR 1992-2020
- Antarctic ice sheet loss accelerated to 150 Gt/yr 2012-2020
- Total ocean mass increase 3.7 mm/yr 2005-2020
- U.S. East Coast sea level rise 3-4 times global average
- Projections: 0.28-0.55 m SLR by 2100 under SSP1-2.6
- 2023 global MSL anomaly +101 mm vs 1993
- Gulf of Mexico SLR 17 mm/yr recent decade
- Pacific islands experienced 10 cm SLR since 1993
- Steric SLR 1.6 mm/yr 2006-2018
- Barystatic SLR from land water storage -0.3 mm/yr offset
- Venice annual flooding days increased from 9 (1966-1980) to 33 (2000-2020)
- Shanghai SLR 3.6 mm/yr 1980-2020
- Miami-Dade annual flood days from 1 (2000) to 10 (2020)
- Global tide gauge network shows 1.7 mm/yr 1900-2020, accelerating
- Argo floats confirm ocean warming drives 42% SLR since 1993
- Greenland SMB contribution -142 Gt/yr 2010-2019 to SLR
- Antarctic mass loss 2,720 Gt 1992-2017
- Mountain glaciers lost 6.5 m w.e. since 1900
- Projected SLR 0.63-1.01 m by 2100 RCP8.5
- Relative SLR Norfolk VA 4.8 mm/yr
Sea Level Rise Interpretation
The ocean is borrowing our shoreline real estate at an accelerating rate, with half the debt coming from thermal expansion, and the eviction notices are already being served as flood days multiply from Miami to Venice.
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