2023 forecasts show record-breaking global temperatures

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
20 Dec 2022 17:18

If the forecasts are accurate, this would mark the 10th year in a row that global temperatures increase by a little more than 1°C since 1880.

Global temperatures in 2023 set to be among hottest on record

The Guardian reported on Tuesday, citing official sources, that forecasts for global temperatures in the year 2023 are expected to be the highest ever recorded in the history of mankind, with an increase of 1.2°C above what temperatures were before humanity began to destroy the earth's ecosystem.

If the forecasts are accurate, this would mark the 10th year in a row that global temperatures increase by a little more than 1°C since 1880, according to data from the UK Met Office.

To date, the hottest year on record since 1850 was 2016. That year alone saw a warming of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that resulted in unusually warm waters in oceans and drought conditions in various parts of the world, including Venezuela, Australia, and a number of Pacific islands while significant flooding was also recorded.

The impact of that particular summer was so disastrous that climate experts felt compelled to name it El Niño (The boy).

"Without a preceding El Niño to boost global temperature, 2023 may not be a record-breaking year, but with the background increase in global greenhouse gas emissions continuing apace it is likely that next year will be another notable year in the series," said Adam Scaife, head of long-range predictions at the Met Office.

Nick Dunstone, who conducted the forecast study on 2023 global temperatures, told The Guardian that "the global temperature over the last three years has been influenced by the effect of a prolonged La Nina – where cooler than average sea-surface temperatures occur in the tropical Pacific."

"La Nina has a temporary cooling effect on global average temperature."

"For next year our climate model is indicating an end to the three consecutive years with La Nina state, with a return to relative warmer conditions in parts of the tropical Pacific," he added.

“This shift is likely to lead to global temperature in 2023 being warmer than 2022.”

Released today, the Met Office global temperature forecast indicates that 2023 could be the 10th consecutive year where average temperatures reach at least 1°C above pre-industrial levels 🌡️

Learn more in our news release 👇
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 20, 2022

Climate expert at the Met Office Doug Smith said, "The fact that global average temperatures are at or above 1C for a decade masks the considerable temperature variation across the world."

"Some locations such as the Arctic have warmed by several degrees since pre-industrial times."

The Met Office predicts yearly increases in global temperatures ranging between 1.08°C and 1.32°C above the pre-industrial average.

In 2022, the Met Office said global temperatures would range between 0.97°C and 1.21°C above pre-industrial levels, with a central estimate of 1.09°C.

Data shows that since the beginning of the year up until October the temperature is about 1.16°C above the pre-industrial era.

On December 19, nations agreed to protect a third of the earth's nature by 2030 in a major agreement aimed at conserving biodiversity. There will also be goals for preserving key ecosystems like rainforests and wetlands, as well as Indigenous peoples' rights.