Climate experts concerned over Earth's vital signs at record extremes
A view shows a bridge with sandbanks of the Loire River in Montjean-sur-Loire, France.
A global team of climate scientists have warned in a new report that life on Earth is under siege, as 20 of the planet's 35 vital signs are identified at their record extremes.
According to the report published in the BioScience journal, these data suggested how the ongoing human activities have led to unprecedented pressure on Earth.
Among the key figures of the report, the annual coal consumption reached a near all-time high of 161.5 exajoules in 2022.
Ocean acidity, glacier thickness, and Greenland ice mass all plunged to record lows between 2022 and 2023, whereas the sea level rise relative to the 20-year mean hit an all-time high of 58.1 millimeters.
The research team argued that the climate on Earth is venturing into an "uncharted territory" where no one has ever witnessed firsthand in the history of humanity.
In 2023, a series of climate-related records have been cracked, increasing unease over the danger of extreme weather. As shown in the report, by September 12, this year had already seen 38 days with global average temperatures more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels – more than any other year.
Thomas Newsome, one of the co-authors and senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, said that the trends indicated by the report underline the need to scale up global efforts to combat climate change and reduce ecological footprint.
Meanwhile, joint lead author Christopher Wolf from the US-based Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates expressed concern about the sudden increases in the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters.
"The frequency and severity of those disasters might be outpacing rising temperatures. By the end of the 21st century, many regions may have severe heat, limited food availability and elevated mortality rates," he said.
The researchers outlined possible pathways to address the pressing climate crisis, including reducing resource over-consumption and facilitating the transition to a more circular economy.
