Average global temperature records were broken twice this week

A rise in overall planetary temperature is a consequence we’ve been warned of multiple times, should we fail to take significant action to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Our lack of action has seen numerous countries around the world experiencing extreme and prolonged heat waves at the same time.

In the US, 38 million Americans have been under high heat alert this week. Neighbouring residents in Ontario, Canada said it feels like they are living in a ‘tropical country’ adding that the air is ‘so thick’ with humidity.

In parts of China, temperatures have jumped above 35C and stayed there throughout the month. Meanwhile, temperatures are soaring as high as 50C in North Africa.

In mid-June, India and Pakistan were struck by a 43.5-50C heatwave in the period between two cyclones. The heatwave killed 170 people and left hundreds more hospitalised.

In Europe, countries have been facing an unseasonably warm start to the summer months. June marked high temperatures and little rainfall across the continent.

A new report by Greenpeace’s Science Unit, based at the University of Exeter, has announced that Spain is warming faster than any other part of the world. The country is now seeing a 1.5C increase for every 1 degree of overall global warming.

Unless the rest of the world does its part to curb greenhouse gas emissions drastically, it’s expected that Spain will succumb to an overall temperature increase of 2C within the next two decades.

Without climate intervention, the European nation is predicted to heat by 4C by 2100. This immense change, though gradual, will have profound negative effects on natural environments by increasing drought and wildfires while fuelling water scarcity across the country.

Though broken records are usually something to celebrate, climate scientists warn that higher-than-ever global temperatures are nothing to be in awe of.

Without making tangible changes towards global sustainability – in particular, within the world’s highest emitting industries – there is no doubt that we can expect to see breaking temperature records become a yearly occurrence.