Studies show 2023 was a year of record heat and devastating climate impacts. 

In an alarming confirmation of climate trends, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced that 2023 was the hottest year on record globally. 

The average annual global temperature was 1.45 ± 0.12 °C above pre-industrial levels, edging the world closer to the critical threshold set by the Paris Agreement. 

This unprecedented heat, compounded by the shift from La Niña to El Niño conditions, raises concerns that 2024 might bring even higher temperatures.

“Climate change is the biggest challenge that humanity faces. It is affecting all of us, especially the most vulnerable,” says WMO Secretary-General Professor Celeste Saulo.

The WMO's findings, which consolidate data from six leading international datasets, reveal a consistent rise in temperatures. 

Since the 1980s, each decade has been warmer than the preceding one, with the past nine years ranking as the warmest on record. 

“Humanity’s actions are scorching the earth,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres. 

“2023 was a mere preview of the catastrophic future that awaits if we do not act now."

A new report from the Australian National University (ANU), led by Professor Albert Van Dijk, provides a complementary perspective, highlighting the profound impact of the record heat on the global water cycle. 

The year 2023 witnessed severe storms, floods, megadroughts, and bushfires, exacerbated by persistently high temperatures and low rainfall. 

“Record-breaking heat waves swept across the globe in 2023, shattering previous records, from Canada to Brazil and from Spain to Thailand,” said Prof Van Dijk.

These climatic extremes have had devastating socio-economic impacts. 

The WMO's provisional State of the Global Climate in 2023 report, published in November, indicated a trail of destruction, death, and huge economic losses due to extreme weather events. 

In Australia, for instance, Cyclone Jasper and severe storms in Queensland exemplified the unusual and deadly behaviour of cyclones in 2023.

Looking ahead, the WMO and ANU reports underscore the critical need for global action against climate change. 

“The events of 2023 show how ongoing climate change is threatening our planet and lives more with every passing year,” Prof Van Dijk warns.

The WMO will release its final State of the Global Climate 2023 report in March, providing further insights into the socio-economic impacts on food security, displacement, and health.