State of the Climate in 2023 report in context of Drought

Syllabus :GS 3/Environment 

In News

The State of the Climate in 2023 report was released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  

Key Findings 

• Extreme Drought: July 2023 set a new record with 8% of global land area under extreme drought, surpassing the previous high of 6.2% from July 2022.
• Global Drought: 29.7% of global land experienced moderate or worse drought, another record-breaking figure.
• Temperature: 2023 was the warmest year on record, with global surface temperature 0.55-0.60°C above the 1991–2020 average
• Greenhouse Gases: Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide reached new record levels.
• Ocean Heat: Global ocean heat content up to 2,000 meters depth set new records.
• Sea Level: Global mean sea level reached 4 inches (10 cm) above the 1993 average, a record high for the 12th consecutive year.
• Cyclones: Tropical cyclone activity was below average with 82 named storms, but the accumulated cyclone energy was above average, with over seven reaching Category 5.

Regional Impact: 

• Mexico had its driest and hottest year since 1950. South America, West Asia, and Europe experienced severe drought
• Wildfires: Canada had its worst wildfire season on record, burning 15 million hectares; Greece also saw record wildfires, burning more than four times its long-term average.
• Australia: Experienced its driest three-month period on record, with extensive bushfires in the Northern Territory.
• Arctic: Fourth-warmest year on record; thawing permafrost and fifth-smallest seasonal sea ice extent observed.
• Antarctica: Record lows in sea ice extent and area were seen in eight months, with February 21, 2023, reaching all-time record low

Source : DTE