Recent data from two American agencies, the US space agency NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), reveals 2021 as the sixth warmest year since records began in 1880. Notably, the past decade has been the warmest recorded period.
Temperature Highlights of 2021
The global Earth temperature for 2021 was about 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than in the late 19th century, marking the onset of the industrial revolution. Distinctions between the hemispheres were observed, with Northern Hemisphere land surface temperature ranking third highest on record, only surpassed by 2016 and 2020. Conversely, the Southern Hemisphere recorded the ninth highest surface temperature.
Record-breaking Sea Surface Temperatures and Antarctic Ice Extents
Record-high sea surface temperatures were reported across portions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Specifically, the upper ocean heat content surpassed the previous 2020 record, making 2021 the year with the highest ocean heat content. Additionally, the last seven years (2015-2021) feature all the seven highest ocean heat content records. In the Antarctic region, the sea ice extent during December 2021 measured 3.55 million square miles, ranking as the third-smallest December extent ever recorded.
How La Niña Impacted Global Temperatures
Despite the rising trends, world temperatures were kept lower due to La Niña, a weather pattern occurring in the Pacific Ocean but influencing global weather. This event happens approximately every two to seven years when ocean surface waters along the South American tropics coast cool.
The Warming Trend and its Underlying Causes
The rising Earth’s temperature is linked to human-induced factors such as increased carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases. As a result, the planet is experiencing declining Arctic sea ice, rising sea levels, severe wildfires, and altered animal migration patterns.
Rising Temperature in India: An IPCC Report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), revealing specific impacts for the Indian Sub-continent. These include intensified and frequent heatwaves and humid heat stress throughout the 21st century.
Anticipated Changes in Monsoon Precipitation
The report also projected changes in monsoon precipitation, with an anticipated increase in both annual and summer monsoon. Despite the decline in the South West Monsoon due to aerosol increase over past decades, heavy monsoon rainfall is expected once aerosol levels decrease.
Accelerated Warming of the Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean, encompassing the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, is warming faster than the global average. The regional sea surface temperature is predicted to increase by 1 to 2 °C given a 1.5°C to 2°C global warming scenario.
India’s Actions Against Climate Change
At the UNFCCC COP26, India announced an ambitious climate action vision including five significant measures. These include increasing non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW and deriving 50% of energy needs from renewable sources by 2030. Additionally, it aims to reduce projected carbon emissions by one billion tons and decrease the economy’s carbon intensity to less than 45% by 2030 while targeting net-zero emissions by 2070. Currently, India ranks fourth globally in installed renewable energy capacity, and non-fossil energy has increased by over 25% in the past seven years, covering 40% of the total energy mix. The country is leading initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
Last Modified: February 15, 2024