On November 29, 2018, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed the Earth was heading for the fourth hottest year on record. The previous three were slightly warmer, and therefore even closer to 1ºC above 1850 to 1900 levels. These past four years heighten the impact of the warmest 20 years occurring in the past 22.
These Last Four Years are a Taste of Worse to Come
If the trend of the last four years continues, then temperatures may rise a further 3 to 5ºC by 2100. Five independent data sets confirm 2018 being 0.98C warmer than 1850 to 1900 levels during the first industrial revolution.
Moreover, 2018 was only marginally cooler than 2015 to 2017 owing to the La Niña weather phenomenon cooling ocean surfaces. Therefore, there is no question we are collectively failing to meet our climate change targets. All the world’s leaders will be long gone before 2100 arrives. On the evidence of the last four years we have to ask how seriously most of them are taking this.
Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Are at Record Levels
We do not wish to detract from the few world leaders brave enough to want to stop global warming in its tracks. However, let’s hear what World Meteorological Organization secretary-general Petteri Taalas says about what is happening.
“We are not on track to meet climate change targets and rein in temperature increases. Greenhouse gas concentrations are once again at record levels. If the current trend continues we may see temperature increases of 3 to 5ºC by the end of the century.
“It is worth repeating once again that we are the first generation to fully understand climate change. And the last generation to be able to do something about it,” Petteri Taalas added. We were hoping to end our lives on a high of technological progress that would benefit future generations. How will our children’s’ children remember us in the light of evidence from the past four years?
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