It was the hottest October on record. The climate catastrophe is not a myth
Some people still don’t believe in it, but that’s no surprise. Science has always faced groups that, at all costs, were looking for ways to ridicule theories and proven facts using populist “arguments.” The climate catastrophe is a fact. It’s happening before our eyes. October was the hottest on record.
October 2019 was the hottest October on record since records have been recorded, according to data from the EU’s Copenicus program. Last month’s average temperature was 0.69 degrees higher than the 30-year average readings. The measurement took into account the years 1981-2010. It is even worse when we compare this year’s readings with the average from before the industrial era, i.e. the time when humanity began burning fossil fuels on a massive scale. In this case, the average temperature is 1.2 degrees higher.
Paris Agreement
According to the Paris Agreement adopted by most countries in December 2015, the scientific and political consensus is an increase of no more than 2 degrees compared to the pre-industrial era, or – in an optimistic scenario – 1.5 degrees. As the latest data show, we are already close to exceeding the optimistic level. As part of the agreement, signatories also agreed to meet every five years to set “more ambitious goals consistent with science.” The meeting in 2020 will be even more difficult because the changes are already noticeable, and in recent days the decision to withdraw the US from the agreement was made by President Donald Trump.
The average annual sea level rise was 3.6 millimeters. Sea levels are projected to rise by one meter by the end of the century. This is due to, among others, from the fact that in October, which is historically famous for being the least favorable month in this respect, the level of glacier melting was the third recorded in history. This was caused by an increase in average temperatures, which was visible mainly in Europe, North America, but also in the Arctic. However, temperatures did not rise everywhere. In Scandinavia and Central Asia, temperatures dropped by up to 4 degrees.
Scientists’ warning
Contrary to the populist narrative of some publicists, the statement was issued by over 11,000 people. scientists. Together they called for climate action. They claim that if humanity does not change its habits, “unprecedented suffering” awaits us. Phobe Barnard, one of the authors of the document, said that the report’s conclusions show that there is no room for maneuver. We have to act.
