The European Union's climate change monitoring service stated that April 2024 was the hottest April ever, continuing an unparalleled sequence of record-breaking temperatures for 12 months.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reports that each month since June 2023 has broken temperature records, the longest stretch in history. The 12-month worldwide average temperature, including April, achieved a new high of 1.61 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900.

Scientists are keenly studying these extremes, including whether human activity has tipped the climate system. Julien Nicolas, C3S Senior Climate Scientist, emphasized that many experts worry about major climate change.

Asia Impacted By Record-High Temperatures

Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion contribute to climate change. Moreover, the El Niño phenomenon, which heats surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, has also caused extreme heat.

C3S reported above-average rainfall in April over Europe, while southern Spain, Italy, and the Western Balkans were drier, while Eastern Australia saw considerable rainfall, while most of the nation had below-normal precipitation, like northern Mexico, per Al Jazeera.

The C3S dataset, extending back to 1940, shows that April 2024 was the warmest April since the pre-industrial period, emphasizing the need to address climate change globally. 

Separately, the "State of the Climate in Asia 2023" study from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights the increasing rise of crucial climate change indicators in Asia. Surface temperature, glacier retreat, and sea level rise are all increasing, affecting society, economics, and ecosystems.

The analysis found that in 2023, north-west Pacific Ocean sea-surface temperatures hit record highs while the Arctic Ocean witnessed a marine heatwave. Asia is warming faster than the world average, roughly tripling during 1961-1990, per the agency's media release.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized the report's findings. In 2023, several nations in the area suffered droughts, heatwaves, floods, and storms. "The report's conclusions are sobering," she said.

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Meanwhile, Newcastle University climate scientist Hayley Fowler noted that global warming is reaching a crucial threshold, threatening the 2015 Paris Agreement, which targets to reduce global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Fowler remarked that, given the current trends, the accord may be unattainable.

Some experts believe it is becoming implausible to achieve the legally stipulated 1.5 degrees Celsius objective over a long-term average. They encourage countries to hasten CO2 emission reductions in order to stop rising temperatures.

Experts Warn Over Treating Forests as Carbon Commodities

In another news, the International Union of Forest Research Organizations published a study that highlights global trends in forest governance, indicating potential drawbacks in efforts to address climate change.

The study warns against focusing simply on trees' carbon worth, despite increased global and regional commitments to stop deforestation, according to Scientific American. It warns that ignoring forests' additional advantages, such as Indigenous cultural value, might lead to global forest management inequalities.

The research also highlighted the expanding use of market-based solutions like forest carbon markets, which let companies buy carbon offsets to save trees. However, researchers warn that many carbon offset schemes may not cut emissions or safeguard forests.

Market-based incentives may exclude local populations from forest management choices and prioritize short-term financial advantages above sustainable practices, the study warns. The report's co-author, Oxford social scientist Constance McDermott, stresses the necessity of state regulation and community-led efforts for appropriate management of forests.

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