April 2024 marked another extraordinary month of record-high global air and sea surface temperatures, as stated in a recent report by the EU’s climate monitor, published on Wednesday. Despite the ongoing weakening of the El Niño weather pattern, which typically leads to increased heat, the report highlights that human-induced climate change is exacerbating these extreme conditions.
According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, each month since June of the previous year has set a new record for warmth. April 2024 continued this trend, with temperatures surpassing the pre-industrial average by 1.58 degrees Celsius, based on data from 1850 to 1900.
Copernicus noted that while such consecutive monthly temperature records are unusual, a similar pattern was observed in 2015/16. Moreover, the average temperature over the last 12 months has risen by 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, surpassing the 1.5-degree target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement to mitigate global warming.
In addition to global trends, April also saw the second warmest April ever recorded in Europe, continuing a pattern observed in March and throughout the winter season. The month witnessed extreme weather events worldwide, including floods, droughts, and heatwaves. From heavy rain-induced flooding in various regions to searing heatwaves in Asia and fatal floods in southern Brazil, the impacts of climate change are increasingly evident across the globe. The UN had previously warned in March that 2024 was likely to see record temperatures, following a decade of record heat that has pushed the planet to its limits.
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