Earth reached its hottest days ever recorded twice in the space of one week! Three days in June 2023 were quite likely (until now) the hottest in Earth’s modern history, scientists said on Thursday, as an astonishing surge of heat across the globe continued to shatter temperatures in what is being called the new abnormal!
On Monday, the world recorded yet another all-time high temperature, surpassing the record set just the previous day. As of now, July 22 stands as the hottest day on record, with Earth's average temperature reaching 17.15 degrees Celsius, or 62.87 degrees Fahrenheit, based on preliminary data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This record-breaking event follows Sunday, July 21, when the global average temperature was 17.09 degrees Celsius (62.76 degrees Fahrenheit).
A temperature in the low 60s Fahrenheit may seem mild, but it's important to remember that this is a global average. Currently, the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing peak summer, while the Southern Hemisphere is in the middle of winter. Additionally, the world's hottest day record was recently set on July 6, 2023, when temperatures reached 17.08 degrees Celsius or 62.74 degrees Fahrenheit.
This will not end any time soon because fossil fuels make too much money for too many people the irony is that it will decrease the global population that the west has been politicizing about but not in the majority third world countries, that have centuries of infrastructure in place to survive extreme heat events! The United Nations chief implored government leaders to protect the Earth's 8.1 billion people from withering heat waves that in recent days have caused deaths, blackouts and drought conditions around the world. The urgent plea came days after the planet set a new record for the hottest day ever recorded — and then immediately broke it.
Climate entities such as Black Coral Inc are alerting global citizens that they should not depend solely on governments for salvation. They advocate downsizing, investing in tiny homes, and planting fruit and nut trees for self-sustenance. They also encourage learning about atmospheric water generation, which can be a DIY project at home for under fifty dollars. They urge a shift towards renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and geothermal, instead of the vulnerable nuclear and fossil fuels that are the root of many environmental issues.
The peril of climate inaction is one the planet cannot afford, particularly given the legacy of past leaders' greed and shortsightedness, with human existence hanging in the balance. We cannot squander time on the delusions of climate deniers who dream of sipping vodka martinis on Mars or who believe that AI and robotics will alone surmount the challenges posed by climate change to every nation.
A recent study revealed that last year's summer, the hottest on record in Europe, resulted in nearly 62,000 heat-related fatalities — further confirming that heat is a silent killer whose victims are often under-reported by as much as 30%. Published in Nature Medicine, the study reported 61,672 heat-related deaths across Europe from May 30 to September 4. Italy experienced the most severe impact with approximately 18,000 deaths, followed by Spain with over 11,000, and Germany with about 8,000 reported heat related fatalities.
Research has shown that extreme heat disproportionately affects the elderly and women. In an analysis of nearly 62,000 deaths, the heat-related mortality rate was 63% higher for women than for men. Age is also a critical factor, as the death toll rises significantly for individuals aged 65 and older. Countries like China, the US, and Europe, which have some of the oldest populations globally, are experiencing major declines in population demographics directly linked to climate-related issues. The only consistent increase is in migrants entering these nations to escape the climate and the economic catastrophes it causes.
A recent report titled "The Effect of Temperature on Birth Rates in Europe" has been published. Utilizing data from 32 European countries, encompassing approximately 244 million live births from 1969 to 2021, the study investigates the impact of temperature on birth rates. The findings indicate that hot days marginally decrease birth rates five to eight months subsequently, with more pronounced negative effects noted nine to ten months following exposure to high temperatures. {Hajdu, T. The Effect of Temperature on Birth Rates in Europe. Population and Environment, 46(9), 2024.}
The report was generated to confirm a report from Norway using 100 years of data gathered from church records that showed a pattern of people born in hot years that having shorter lifespans and fewer children. Th births in all European countries have fallen significantly in the past 50 years in Norway alone the Norwegian birth rate in 2020 fell by 3 per cent compared to the previous year, according to numbers from The Medical Birth Registry of Norway. This amounts to 43 children per 1000 women. To compare, the same number from 1984 was 51.
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