NASA, "Summer temperatures in 2020 tie highest record with 2016"...Worsening Global Warming

World Meteorological Organization and US NOAA Report "Top 3 Highest Temperatures on Record"
UN Environment Programme Warns "Annual $500 Billion Loss if Emissions Persist"

[Image source=NASA]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] NASA and international climate monitoring organizations announced that last year showed temperatures as high as those recorded in 2016, the hottest year on record. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned that if global warming accelerates and temperatures continue to rise sharply, annual climate adaptation costs could exceed $500 billion (approximately 550 trillion KRW).

On the 14th (local time), NASA reported that the average temperature last year was 1.02 degrees Celsius (1.84 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the average temperature from 1951 to 1980. This figure is slightly higher within the margin of error compared to the average temperature in 2016. NASA's chief climate scientist Dr. Gavin Schmidt expressed concern, stating, "The past seven years have been the seven warmest years on record in terms of average annual temperature. The important point is the long-term trend, and records will continue to be broken."

On the same day, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also announced that 2020 was among the three hottest years on record. According to the WMO, the global average temperature last year was 14.9 degrees Celsius, an increase of 1.2 degrees compared to pre-industrial times. This is nearly the same level as the average temperatures recorded in 2016 and 2019, which were considered the hottest years on record. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also analyzed that last year was the second warmest after 2016, and the UK Met Office presented similar findings.

Although there are some differences in data, all international climate monitoring agencies confirmed that the Earth’s temperature is rising long-term due to continued greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation. Scientists are particularly noting that despite the occurrence of La Ni?a (a cooling phenomenon in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean), which usually lowers the global average temperature, in the fourth quarter of last year, temperatures still rose.

Last year, the Arctic's average annual sea ice extent matched the lowest level ever recorded in 2016, and the annual snow height in the Northern Hemisphere dropped to the fourth lowest in recorded history, raising concerns about climate change and global warming damage. Jim Kossin, an atmospheric scientist at NOAA, warned, "Global warming may not increase the number of tropical storms, but it could make storms stronger."

Meanwhile, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned in its '2020 Adaptation Gap Report' released that day that global warming caused by climate change is intensifying, and the costs for environmental conservation and disaster recovery related to climate adaptation will increase significantly each year. According to UNEP’s estimates, annual climate adaptation costs were about $70 billion up to last year, but if current emission levels are maintained, costs could reach up to $300 billion by 2030 and $500 billion by 2050.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.