June 2023 has been dubbed the "hottest June on record" according to global temperature analyses by NASA and various other organizations worldwide. The first week of July has already recorded a new high in temperatures in several countries currently experiencing a historic heatwave.
In China, for instance, due to the extreme heat, the China Energy Investment Corporation announced that "total electricity generation reached 4.09 billion kilowatt-hours in July, an increase of 210 million kilowatt-hours from the previous day." Similarly, warnings have emerged in the United States about dangerously high temperature levels that could harm the health of a third of the population. Temperatures across North America have been approximately 10 degrees Celsius above average this month, while smoke clouds from wildfires have covered the skies of Canada and the eastern United States, with carbon emissions estimated to be around 160 million metric tons.
Many areas in Southern Europe, notably France and Spain, have faced extreme temperatures, with reports of tourist collapses in Greece, where temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius or higher.
India, one of the regions most affected by climate change, has seen an increase in deaths due to the ongoing rise in temperatures, as have Spain, Iran, and Vietnam, raising concerns that last summer's deadly heat could become the norm.
In Canada, authorities described this year as "unprecedented" in many ways. So far this year, over 24 million acres of land have burned, surpassing the previous record for the country. More than 155,000 people have been evacuated as a result of the fires, marking the largest number of evacuations in recent decades.
In Saudi Arabia, temperatures in June broke all records, being 0.9 degrees Celsius higher than the previous record set in 1940, a significant difference. Gaza is experiencing a heatwave with temperatures rising to 38 degrees Celsius. Argentina is facing an unprecedented heatwave not seen in over six decades, prompting warnings of extreme temperatures in nine provinces in the central and northern regions of the country, according to the national meteorological agency.
Climate expert Enzio Campitella stated that "one heatwave is part of the usual climate variability. However, with climate change, we are witnessing more intense and enduring heatwaves across all continents."
Lebanon is also experiencing a heatwave, originating from the Arabian Gulf, where temperatures have risen above seasonal averages, nearing the 40-degree mark in the Beqaa Valley. Despite environmental warnings, fires have erupted in most Lebanese regions, including Jounieh, Aley, Akkar, Naameh, Beirut, and others.
The World Meteorological Organization reported today that "the heatwave affecting the northern hemisphere will intensify this week, which may lead to increased nighttime temperatures," adding that "this could increase the risks of heart attacks and fatalities." The organization noted that "temperatures in North America, Asia, and parts of North Africa and the Mediterranean will exceed 40 degrees Celsius for several days this week as the heatwave intensifies."
What about August? Some specialists expect that June and July are paving the way for an additional heatwave in August that could be exceptional if the summer of 2023 continues in this manner. Scientists agree that what is occurring today indicates a major issue facing the planet: climate change. A scientific study from the University of Hawaii confirms that "more than 30% of the world’s population is exposed for at least 20 days to thermal conditions that exceed the threshold for mortality risk, and by 2100, this percentage will rise to 48% if we take precautions and begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reaching 74% if the current scenario of our actions and nature's responses continues." This reflects a true climate disaster that the Earth may face.
Here lies the real problem: heatwaves occur from time to time, but climate change is raising their frequency, leading to record-breaking events lasting weeks or months rather than the days we were accustomed to in the past.
