" With historic temperatures observed in September, 2023 is on track to be the warmest year on record. Scientists' warnings follow a scorching summer and an alarming rise in global temperatures. The repercussions of this rising trend have far-reaching ramifications for the world, emphasizing the importance of addressing climate change through international collaboration and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The call to phase out fossil fuels has never been more urgent as world leaders prepare for the UN COP28 climate summit. "

In a stark warning, scientists have sounded the alarm that 2023 is hurtling towards becoming the hottest year ever recorded. This dire prognosis follows a scorching September, which saw global temperatures reach extraordinary heights, exacerbated by what has already been labeled the hottest summer in human history.

The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) delivered the unsettling news, revealing that global average temperatures from January through September have surged a staggering 1.4 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial period of 1850 to 1900. This figure stands over 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than the average and a hair-raising 0.05 degrees Celsius above the equivalent period in 2016 – the current holder of the hottest year title.

September, in particular, etched itself into the annals of climatic history by boasting the most remarkable temperature anomalies since records began in 1940. The month as a whole left scientists astounded, with temperatures a jaw-dropping 1.75 degrees Celsius warmer than the preindustrial reference period. One researcher aptly described these findings as "absolutely gobsmackingly bananas."

Despite the Northern Hemisphere transitioning into autumn, there has been no reprieve from the relentless heat. Recent data reveals that last month was not only the hottest September on record but also marked the fourth consecutive month of unprecedented heat. These scorching trends are firmly cementing 2023's place as a contender for the hottest year ever documented.

September's warmth defied expectations, resembling an abnormally hot July with an average global air temperature of 16.38 degrees Celsius (61.45 Fahrenheit). This made the month a blistering 0.93 degrees Celsius hotter than the 1991 to 2020 average and an astonishing 1.75 degrees Celsius above the September average for the pre-industrial era, before the world's heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

The implications of these soaring temperatures are far-reaching. A major U.N. report released last month confirmed that the world is veering off course from the long-term goals outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. The report starkly highlights that the world has already heated by approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius after more than a century of fossil fuel consumption, along with unsustainable energy and land use. This temperature surge is fueling a barrage of extreme weather events across the globe.

For Europe, the impact of September 2023 was particularly pronounced, marking the warmest September on record. Temperatures soared over 2.5 degrees Celsius higher than the 1991 to 2020 average and a significant 1.1 degrees Celsius above the previous warmest September in 2020.

As countries prepare to convene in Dubai for the United Nations COP28 climate summit in December to assess progress towards climate goals, the findings from September should serve as a resounding wake-up call for policymakers and negotiators. Dr. Friederike Otto, Acting Director of the Environmental Change Institute, underscored the urgency by stating, "We absolutely must agree to phase out fossil fuels." The challenge ahead is daunting, but the need for collective action to curb climate change has never been more pressing.