Why is it in the news?

• The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) officially confirms 2023 as the hottest year on record.

More about the news

• Global average near-surface temperature in 2023 was 45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline, making it the warmest ten-year period on record.
• This temperature increase brings the world very close to the 1.5 degrees Celsius lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
• Around one-third of the global ocean experienced marine heatwaves in 2023, affecting ecosystems and food systems.
• Record ice loss was observed in global reference glaciers, particularly in western North America and Europe, while Antarctic Sea ice extent hit a record low.
• The warm temperature records were influenced by an ongoing El Nino event, associated with below-normal monsoon rainfall in India and record-breaking heat in southern India.
• Increased adoption of renewable energy sources in 2023 showed a positive trend, with renewable capacity additions reaching 510 gigawatts, the highest rate observed in two decades.