Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) says that, according to the ERA5 dataset, on 22 July 2024 the Earth experienced its warmest day since 1940 (when ERA5 data begins). On that day the Earth’s global average temperature reached a new record of 17.16°C. The ERA5 data can be explored in Climate Pulse, the C3S application that provides historical and near-real-time temperature data from the ERA5 reanalysis dataset.

Note that this is not the highest temperature at any one point on Earth but the average of temperatures all over the planet. Many places were warmer than 17.16°C and many cooler.

And note also that it is not the highest ever global average temperature. It is only the highest since people began to record Earth’s temperatures. We need to remember that we are currently in a warm (interglacial) phase of a cold (glacial) period in Earth’s history. During much of its history the Earth has frequently been much hotter than today. It has been so hot that no ice existed anywhere on its surface.

These changes in global temperature happened long before we began burning fossil fuels. They were caused by many natural factors including changes in the Sun, emissions from volcanoes and variations in Earth’s orbit.

So what can we expect in future? Unless we all make dramatic changes in our lifestyles, temperatures will continue to rise. The current glacial period might even come to an end and the Earth will be very much hotter than it was even on 22 July 2024.

Over the years this is likely to lead to mass migrations of people trying to find food and water. Wars will probably be fought over inhabitable lands. And wars, of course, will lead to even more global warming as bombs and bullets release greenhouse gases.

Might humanity see sense and change the way we live such as stopping the use of fossil fuels? Might countries learn to share their resources and help those living in countries far away? Will the United Nations really become a place where the world can share and manage its problems?

Perhaps, if we the people and our politicians finally see sense instead of being driven by our selfishness and egos.

More information about Earth’s climate history

https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/whats-hottest-earths-ever-been

https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discovering-geology/climate-change/what-causes-the-earths-climate-to-change

https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Glacial_and_interglacial_periods