The planet has had its hottest temperature ever on 22 consecutive days since weather records began, likely for about 100,000 years. How can such a record be made? Answer with IPCC paleoclimatologist Valerie Masson-Delmotte.
You will also be interested
[EN VIDÉO] Top 5 Unusual Ways to Track Past Climate Paleoclimatology consists of a reconstruction of the Earth’s climate in the past. Scientists use…
Prior to July 2023, the previous global temperature record on Earth was 16,924°C recorded on July 24, 2022. However, since July 3, 2023, the temperature has risen above 17°C every day, and this is until July 24, according to Figures from the University of Maine. Thus the deviation from the 1979-2000 average is about 0.8 °C in recent days.
Some journalists and climate specialists talk about the record heat for at least 100,000 years. What is it really and where does this information come from? like Paleoclimatologist Valerie Masson-Delmotteco-author of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) explains: “ Each of the past decades has been the warmest in a row since 1850—the period for which measurements of surface air and sea surface temperature allow an estimate for the planet.. So July 2023 is sure to be, by far, the hottest month since 1850.
The last hot period occurred 125,000 years ago
But thanks to the analysis of microfossils, pollen or even ice, it is possible to get a clear idea of the climate in the past: ” The last decades have been very hot, on a planetary scale, in the context of temperature changes in the last 2,000 years. The decade 2011-2020 is beyond the scope of changes in the past 2,000 years. The previous warmest period was before the last ice age, about 125,000 years ago, with an estimate (by a time step of several centuries) of the temperature 0.5 to 1.5 °C over 1850–1900, due to the Earth’s orbital axis and inclination. IPCC climatologist defines. So this allows us to say that the 22 days of July 2023 are probably the hottest in about 100,000 years.
–
The new issue of Mag ‘Futura’ How does the universe affect us? Available now on newsstands:
I find Mag Futura On newsstands
In this new issue, discover:
- 1 central file: “How does the universe affect us?” »;
- 1 Opening a file on an environmental issue: “Confronting Gaïa – Mountains and reserves under pressure”;
- And many other formats to better understand and preserve the world: Animal Quarter, Mechanics of Beauty, Where is Technology Heading?, Cosmic Epiphany, Science in Comics…