According to research from the CMST2.0 data set, 2023 is expected to be the hottest year on record, with May becoming the hottest month on record. As global temperatures soar to record-breaking heights, the climate crisis is reaching an unprecedented level of urgency, and July 2023 will mark another alarming milestone.
The climate crisis is intensifying, and 2023 is set to be the hottest year on record, according to a study using the China Global Combined Surface Temperature Dataset 2.0 (CMST2.0).
A new study based on the China Global Combined Surface Temperature Data Set 2.0 (CMST2.0), led by Professor Li Qingxiang of Sun Yat-sen University, shows that 2023 is expected to be the hottest year on record. Li Qingxiang is also a researcher at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The research results were published in the scientific journal "Advances in Atmospheric Sciences" published on September 19.
CMST2.0 data analysis and future prediction
Researchers analyzed the CMST2.0 data set and found that 2023 has become the third warmest first half of the year on record, behind only 2016, the hottest, and 2020, the second warmest. Global mean sea surface temperatures (SST) surged to record highs in April, while global mean land temperatures followed suit, reaching their second highest monthly level in June. This combination makes May the month with the warmest global average surface temperatures on record.
Affected by factors such as the El Niño phenomenon and widespread wildfires, global temperatures will continue to rise in the second half of 2023. In July, global mean sea and global mean land temperatures both reached unprecedented highs, surpassing previous records.
Professor Li said: "Given the current El Niño development trajectory and short-term forecast results, as well as the extremely positive phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, which strongly affects global surface temperatures, 2023 is expected to be the hottest year on record. In addition, global surface temperatures are likely to be higher in 2024."
The CMST2.0 data set developed by Professor Li's team is one of the most comprehensive global surface temperature benchmark data sets to date. It takes into account the accuracy of global and regional climate changes, raising the level of global temperature monitoring to a new level.
The dataset integrates more than a century of global land-air temperature data and the world's most advanced research, providing a valuable resource for climate scientists and policymakers. Based on this data set, the team was the first to point out that the much-talked about "global warming hiatus" over the past decade was just a statistical artifact. In 2022, the data set was expanded to include Arctic temperature data, further strengthening its global coverage.
The CMST2.0 dataset is freely available on the Global Climate Change Observation and Modeling Data Platform for use by the scientific community and the public.
As global warming accelerates, the likelihood of extreme weather events and disasters increases. The researchers therefore call for an immediate and sustained effort to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change.