World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) State of the Global Climate report has unveiled some scary facts. As per the report, the last decade, i.e. 2011 to 2020, was the warmest on record. The last six years have been consecutively warmest of any previous years, and 2020, in particular, was one of the three warmest years so far.
On June 20, 2020, the temperatures at Verkhoyansk, Russian Federation reached 38°C – that is the highest recorded temperature anywhere north of the Arctic Circle.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during the launch of the report has said that 2021 is the – make it or break it – years to take action against climate change.
The last 10 years have been the warmest on record due to excessive pollution | Image: Pixabay
The report has highlighted that the concentration of major greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide continued to surge last year despite temporary reductions in the emission of these gases as a result of measures taken to battle coronavirus. In 2020, the global average temperature was 1.2 degrees above the pre-industrial levels.
Greenhouse gases emission was more in 2020 despite restrictions imposed to curb coronavirus | Image: Pixabay
Rising global temperatures and climate change have resulted in severe heat and cold waves around the world. Apart from this, rising global temperatures have also been responsible for disasters like floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires.
Climate change has triggered various disasters like wildfire | Image: Pixabay
Around 9.8 million displacements were recorded during the first half of 2020. Hydrometeorological hazards and disasters were largely responsible for these displacements. In September 2020, the Arctic’s minimum sea-ice extent was the second-lowest on record. Sea level is rising while oceans heat storage and acidification are also increasing.
António Guterres said,
To avert the worst impacts of climate change, science tells us that we must limit global temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees of the pre-industrial baseline. That means reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Developed countries must lead in phasing out coal – by 2030 in OECD countries, and 2040 elsewhere.
The facts revealed by this report are enough to make humans realize the damage they have inflicted on the planet. If not controlled, climate change is going to bring disastrous results for us. Humans need to limit their activities before it’s too late.