Last year was the second hottest since weather records began
A new study published this week shows that 2019 was the second hottest year in history.
Research by the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) places 2019 just behind 2016 in its 140-year climate record.
The results of the study were released on Wednesday, only two days after it emerged that the warmest ocean temperature on record was also captured in 2019.
The world’s five warmest years have all occurred since 2015, and nine of the 10 since 2005, according to scientists at NOAA’s national centres for environmental information.
“It was also the 43rd consecutive year with global land and ocean temperatures, at least nominally, above average,” the scientists said.
The average temperature across the globe in 2019 was 0.95°C above the 20th-century average and just 0.04° cooler than the 2016 record.
The findings of the NOAA study were corroborated by Nasa. The space agency also found in a separate analysis that 2010-2019 was the hottest decade ever recorded.
Of particular concern was that southern Africa, along with parts of central Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Mexico and eastern South America had record average land temperatures in 2019. “December was near-record warm. The month was in fact earth’s second-hottest December on record, logging an average temperature of 1.05°C above the 20th-century average.
“Only December 2015 was warmer,” the report said.
Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), sounded a strong warning.
“The average global temperature has risen by about 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era and ocean heat content is at a record level. On the current path of carbon dioxide emissions, we are heading towards a temperature increase of 3-5°C by the end of century.”
According to the WMO, temperatures are only “part of the story”. The past year and decade had been characterised by retreating ice, record sea levels, rising ocean heat and acidification, and extreme weather.
These have combined to have major affects on the health and wellbeing of life on the planet.
“2020 has started out where 2019 left off with high-impact weather and climate-related events. Australia had its hottest, driest year on record in 2019, setting the scene for the huge bushfires which were so devastating to people and property, wildlife, ecosystems and the environment,” Taalas said.
“Unfortunately, we expect to see much extreme weather throughout 2020 and the coming decades, fuelled by record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.”
A study published on Monday in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences shows “unequivocal warming of the planet”, with the 2019 ocean temperature 0.075°C higher than the 1981-2010 average.
Scientists from the US and China said the world’s oceans were now heating at the same rate as if five Hiroshima atomic bombs were dropped into the water every second.
The month was in fact earth’s second-hottest December on record