2023 on track to be the hottest year on record, say scientists
GuardianNov 20, 2023
2024 'Virtually Certain' To Be Hottest Year
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Above: Smoke is emitted from the chimney of brick kiln in the Indian city of Jalandhar on Dec. 20, 2017. Image copyright: SHAMMI MEHRA/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
On Thursday, scientists with the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service stated that 2024 is "virtually certain" to be the Earth's hottest year in recorded history.
This year will also be the first year that the Earth will see more than 1.5 degrees Celsius in warming, which countries agreed to keep temperature rises under as per the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
The Spin
Left narrative
The climate crisis continues unabated as the Earth keeps passing thresholds that will lead to irreversible damage and threaten the future existence of life on Earth. In spite of the dire need for real global cooperation, anti-science populists have actively denied climate change, with US Pres.-elect Donald Trump threatening to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement. We can no longer elect right-wing anti-climate zealots.
Right narrative
The climate lobby is using climate change for political ends by fear-mongering and misleading the public. In fact, evidence has shown that if the world dropped everything to meet the 1.5C goal, the costs would be greater than letting it come to pass and mitigating it. Climate scientists need to focus on real, pragmatic solutions instead of using climate policy as a Trojan horse for societal and economic change.
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