Hotter Than Ever: 2023 Sets New Global Temperature Records

Charting Record-Breaking Monthly Global Temperatures

As local heat records are being broken across the planet, July 2023 also saw the global average temperature soar to an unprecedented 17.2°C (62.9°F).

In fact, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the four hottest days on record occurred from July 4 to July 7, 2023, breaking the previous record of 16.9°C (62.4°F) set in mid-August 2016.

The above graphic charts the average air temperature at 2 meters above the surface, since 1979, using data from Climate Reanalyzer.

What is Causing Record High Temperatures?

Temperature records were shattered in both 2023 and 2016 as a result of the dual impact of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which causes a significant rise in Pacific Ocean temperatures, and climate change.

Earth’s average global temperature has risen by at least 1.1°C (1.9°F) since 1880, and the pace has significantly increased in the last century alongside the burning of fossil fuels. The majority of the warming has occurred since 1975, with temperatures rising 0.15 to 0.20°C per decade.

According to the NOAA, six of the most recent months of July (typically the hottest month) were among the seven hottest months recorded by average global surface temperature:

*As of July 12, 2023

Although these figures show marginal increases in the world’s average temperatures, the effects are far more noticeable on a local scale.

In July 2023, temperatures in Texas surpassed those of Northern Africa, as they reached 43.3°C (110°F). Across the Pacific, cities around China used bomb shelters as cooling centers during a 10-day streak of days above 35°C (95°F).

“We are in uncharted territory and we can expect more records to fall as El Niño develops further and these impacts will extend into 2024,”
– Christopher Hewitt, World Meteorological Organization

How to Mitigate Climate Change?

Transitioning to renewable energy sources, reducing or capturing greenhouse gas emissions, and implementing sustainable practices are considered key steps towards slowing climate change.

According to NASA, the future will also require adaptation, reducing our risks from the harmful effects of climate change (such as sea-level rise, more intense extreme weather events, or food insecurity) as well as taking advantage of any potential positive opportunities associated with climate change (such as longer growing seasons and higher yields in some regions).