In 2023, Earth warmed at an unprecedented rate, with scientists calculating that 92% of the record-breaking heat was caused by human activities. Led by Piers Forster from Leeds University, a group of 57 scientists used United Nations-approved methods to investigate the causes behind the intense heat. They concluded that the primary driver was the accumulation of carbon dioxide due to increased fossil fuel usage.

Despite the rapid rise in temperatures, the study found no significant acceleration in the pace of human-caused climate change beyond what was predicted. The rate of warming for 2023 reached 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade, slightly up from the previous year’s 0.25 degrees Celsius.

The report noted that the unusual temperatures of last year, particularly in September, were influenced by factors such as El Niño and other weather anomalies. In the long-term context, the planet has warmed approximately 1.19 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times.

Projections suggest that continued use of coal, oil, and natural gas could push global temperatures beyond the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold within the next 4.5 years. This threshold is significant as it marks a point where severe ecological impacts, including the loss of coral reefs and increased extreme weather events, become more likely.

The findings were published in the journal Earth System Science Data and aim to provide annual updates between the major UN scientific assessments conducted every seven to eight years.