June 2024 Sets Record As Warmest June Ever, Says EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service

Since June 2023, each succeeding month has broken its own temperature record, resulting in a 13-month streak of extreme global heat, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The European Union’s (EU’s) climate agency, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), stated on Monday that June 2024 was the warmest June on record, and marked the 12th consecutive month of global temperatures reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) average.

According to the new data, June 2024 was the 13th consecutive month of record-high temperatures, with an average surface air temperature of 16.66 degrees Celsius, surpassing the 1991-2020 average for the month by 0.67 degrees Celsius and the previous record set in June 2023 by 0.14 degrees Celsius.

During the 2015 UN climate negotiations in Paris, global leaders agreed to restrict the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in order to prevent the severe effects of climate change. This target will be considered breached in the event of such heat continuing for an extended period, 20-30 years. 

In June, the global surface temperature was approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius higher compared to the average temperature in 1850-1900, owing to the rapidly growing concentration of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere, and the El Nino event.  The world’s sea surface has also been the hottest ever recorded. Several countries experienced record-breaking heat and devastating floods and storms in June.

Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S said, “This is more than a statistical oddity and highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate. Even if this specific streak of extremes ends at some point, we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, unless we stop adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans.” 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier reported that, this year, northwest India experienced its highest June temperatures since 1901. During this time, India saw an extreme and prolonged heatwave that resulted in more than 40,000 suspected cases of heatstroke and over 100 heat-related fatalities. The scorching temperatures also had an impact on the water supply and electricity grids.

IMD data revealed that 11 states experienced 20 to 38 heatwave days, which is up to four times the usual number between April and June. In parts of Rajasthan, temperatures soared above 50 degrees Celsius, while night temperatures remained around 35 degrees Celsius in many areas.