Scientists are questioning whether global warming and El Niño have a partner in contributing to the unprecedented heat of this summer.
The European climate agency Copernicus has reported that July was 0.3 degrees Celsius (0.6 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than the previous record. This sudden and significant increase in heat, particularly in the oceans and especially in the North Atlantic, has divided scientists on the possibility of another factor at play.
While scientists agree that the primary cause of the recent extreme warming is climate change resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, which has led to a continuous rise in temperatures, a natural El Niño event, which temporarily warms parts of the Pacific and affects global weather patterns, provides a smaller contribution. However, some researchers believe that there must be an additional factor involved.
“What we are witnessing is more than just El Niño combined with climate change,” stated Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo.
Surprisingly, one potential source of the increased warmth could be cleaner air resulting from new shipping regulations. Another possible cause is the release of 165 million tons (150 million metric tons) of water into the atmosphere by a volcano. Both theories are currently being investigated.
2023-08-09 06:00:04
Article from phys.org