The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has stated that 2019 was the world’s second-hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880. This continuing surge in global temperatures is leading to more extreme weather events, as seen with the devastating Australian bushfires in 2020. This rise in temperatures and radical weather patterns is not altogether unexpected, given the consistent increase in global heat records broken over the past decade.
Hottest Decade
According to US government agencies, the decade from 2010 to 2019 holds the dubious honour of being the hottest on record. The steady rise in global temperatures isn’t a recent phenomenon. Since the 1960s, each subsequent decade has been significantly warmer than the previous one. The trend continued into the 2010s, with five of the hottest years ever recorded occurring in the latter half of the decade.
Reason behind Rising Temperatures
The primary culprit behind the alarming increase in global temperatures is the emission of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. These harmful emissions result largely from burning fossil fuels. Their accumulation in the atmosphere creates a ‘greenhouse effect’, trapping heat and contributing to the global temperature rise.
Implications of Rising Temperatures
This relentless rise in temperatures indicates that we are likely failing to reach the goals set for mitigating catastrophic climate change. The longer this trend continues, the more drastic the measures will need to be to counter its effects.
A Closer Look at the Hottest Years
The warmest recorded year so far was 2016, primarily due to the heating effects of a strong El Nino. However, 2019 was not far behind, with average surface temperatures almost 1-degree Celsius higher than the mid-20th century average, making it the second hottest year on record. In 2019, several climate hotspots emerged as well, such as Australia, Alaska, and southern Africa, while Central Canada and the northern US were among the few areas with cooler-than-average conditions.
Global Temperatures: A Snapshot
| Year | Temperature Difference from Mid-20th Century Average |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Highest on record due to a strong El Nino event |
| 2019 | Almost 1 degree Celsius higher |
The Australian Experience
Australia felt the brunt of rising global temperatures significantly in 2019, as it was the hottest year on record for the continent. The average temperature was 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the mid-20th century average. Additionally, 2019 was also the driest year ever recorded in terms of deviation from average rainfall. The nation has been grappling with a severe drought since 2017, and, adding fuel to fire, New South Wales experienced its most devastating bushfire season in at least two decades.
