SUNDAY WAS THE hottest day in recorded human history globally, data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has confirmed.

The daily global average temperature reached a record high at 17.09 degrees celsius on 21 July, marginally beating the previous record of 17.08 degrees celsius on 6 July last year.

The difference between the two highest temperatures is miniscule at 0.01 degrees celsius, however, the gap is wider if temperatures since July 2023 and all previous years back to 1940. 

“On July 21st, C3S has recorded a new record for the global mean temperature. What is truly staggering is how large the difference is between the temperature of the last 13 months and the previous temperature records,” C3S Director Carlo Buontempo said.

The report is a preliminary finding released by the C3S which said that Sunday was the hottest day since 1940.

The C3S director also predicted that temperatures would break new records in the future if adequate measures are not taken.

“We are in truly uncharted territory, and as the climate keeps warming, we are bound to see new records being broken in future months and years,” he said.

The last ten years, from 2015 to 2024, have also witnessed the highest daily average temperatures, a clear indication of global warming.

Earlier, C3S and the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a new joint report that Europe was warming twice as fast as the global average.

They also said that heat waves will become longer and more powerful in future.

Related Reads

Explainer: What is the Nature Restoration Law?

World Ocean Day: At 10 times the size of Ireland, the sea is our climate solution

Ireland has hottest May on record as world sees 12th consecutive month with warmest average

Record temperature has set the mercury at highest levels across continents.

While Central America witnessed water shortages and deaths due to droughts, extreme heat killed over 1,000 pilgrims during Hajj. India recorded temperatures exceeding 48 degrees celsius killing many due to heat strokes.

Tourists in Greece died after the temperature soared at 38.7 degrees celsius.

With reporting by © – AFP 2024