Copernicus ECMWF data for March 2023.

One month does not a trend make however we are moving ever closer to being permanently above the 1.5° mark.

March 2023, now joins the Marches of 2016 (hottest year on record), 2017, 2019 and 2020 all of which were above 1.5°

The projection for the year is that we will end at about 1.3° but it is still early days. 2024 will however be an entirely different story even with a weak El Niño.

Reminder from the latest AR6 Synthesis Report:

“Climate-related risks for natural and human systems are higher for global warming of 1.5°C than at present (1.1°C) but lower than at 2°C (high confidence). Climate-related risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security, and economic growth are projected to increase with global warming of 1.5°C. In terrestrial ecosystems, 3–14% of the tens of thousands of species assessed will likely face a very high risk of extinction at a GWL of 1.5°C. Coral reefs are projected to decline by a further 70–90% at 1.5°C of global warming (high confidence). At this GWL, many low-elevation and small glaciers around the world would lose most of their mass or disappear within decades to centuries (high confidence). Regions at disproportionately higher risk include Arctic ecosystems, dryland regions, small island development states and Least Developed Countries (high confidence).”

Soon the climate crisis will be centre stage everywhere. The sooner you make this your centre stage, meaning mitigation against the acceleration to 2° and adaptation to a 1.5° world the better you will fare.

We are about to go through some things that will make the Covid years seem easy.

Are you ready?