Many people may have noticed a strange increase in temperature averages this winter, with it only dipping below the 40s a couple of times in the last few months. This, as well as the uncharacteristic snowstorms Texans have experienced in recent years, could be due to climate change, which is rapidly taking hold around the world.
2023 is slated to be the hottest year on record. According to CNN, the average temperature increase from preindustrial times is almost 1.4°C. Additionally, every month since June has been listed as the hottest on record. August was the hottest August on record, September was the hottest September on record, and so on and so forth.
Scientists are also saying that the uncharacteristic heat could be the impact of climate change caused by humans and the impact of 2023 being an El Niño year – a time when the water in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean is unusually warm.
However, El Niño is not the only factor to blame for the temperature increase. Human activity plays a huge role in climate change as well, with fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions rising daily. According to the World Meteorological Organization, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is also at an all-time high, meaning that more heat gets trapped in the atmosphere and Earth will continue to warm in the years to come.
Temperature change is also rapidly approaching amounts that could exceed global projections. The Paris Agreement on climate change, made by the UN in 2015, aimed to limit climate change to 1.5°C. As Earth rapidly approaches that threshold, greater action must be taken to ensure that the goal is met.
Although it might feel hopeless, there’s a lot you can do to make a difference, no matter how small. Taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint, being mindful of consumption and where your purchases come from, and pressuring larger corporations to reduce their footprint are all steps we can take to change things for the better in the coming years. Try your best to make changes in your lifestyle, because right now, the Earth needs our help as much as we need it.
