4 Factors Driving 2023’s Extreme Heat and Climate Disasters
4 Factors Driving 2023's Extreme Heat and Climate Disasters Meetings & Conventions
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The Unusual Weather Patterns of 2023 and Their Connection to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Introduction:
Between the record-breaking global heat and extreme downpours, it’s hard to ignore that something unusual is going on with the weather in 2023. This article aims to explore the various factors contributing to these extreme weather events and their connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Human-Caused Global Warming and the Role of Climate Change
- Human-caused global warming plays a significant role in the current weather patterns.
- A recent study found that the heatwave in Texas, the U.S. Southwest, and Mexico would have been virtually impossible without human-induced global warming.
- July 2023 was Earth’s hottest month on record, with average global temperatures more than half a degree Fahrenheit above the previous record.
- Human activities have been gradually increasing temperatures, at an average of about 0.2 F per decade.
Natural Factors Amplifying Global Warming
- El Niño:
- El Niño is a climate phenomenon that influences temperatures and weather patterns globally.
- It occurs when surface water in the tropical Pacific reverses direction and heats up, leading to an increase in global temperatures.
- The current climate modeling suggests a 90 percent chance of Earth heading towards its first strong El Niño since 2016.
- Solar Fluctuations:
- The Sun’s energy output varies over an 11-year cycle, affecting Earth’s climate systems.
- The current solar cycle is predicted to peak in 2025, increasing the Sun’s energy output.
- Massive Volcanic Eruption:
- The 2022 eruption of Tonga’s Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai has had a warming effect due to the release of water vapor, a powerful greenhouse gas.
- The eruption is expected to warm Earth’s surface by about 0.06 F and have a lasting impact for at least five years.
The Impact of Global Warming
- Anthropogenic global warming, caused by human activities, has raised global average temperatures by about 2 F since 1900.
- Increased greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels, have contributed to this temperature rise.
- If human impacts were the only factors, each successive year would set a new record as the hottest year ever.
Future Implications and the Connection to SDGs
- The combination of a strong El Niño, solar maximum, and the effects of the volcanic eruption could lead to uncharted highs in Earth’s temperatures.
- This would result in more extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, forest fires, and flash floods.
- Climate modeling shows that as temperatures continue to increase, weather events become more extreme.
- There is a greater than 50 percent chance that Earth’s global temperature will reach 2.7 F above preindustrial-era temperatures by 2028, increasing the risk of triggering climate-tipping points with greater human impacts.
- These extreme weather events and the urgency to address climate change align with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Conclusion:
The unusual weather patterns of 2023 are a result of a combination of factors, including human-induced global warming, El Niño, solar fluctuations, and a massive volcanic eruption. These extreme weather events have significant implications for the future and highlight the urgent need to address climate change and work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Author: Michael Wysession, Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters | – Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected people attributed to climate-related disasters – Economic losses attributed to climate-related disasters – Number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | – Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into their national policies, strategies, and planning |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | – Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional capacity to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer – Number of countries that have included climate change education and awareness-raising in school curricula |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.a: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible | – Total amount of financial resources mobilized per year for climate action in developing countries |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities | – Number of least developed countries and small island developing states that are receiving specialized support, and amount of support, including finance, technology, and capacity-building, for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change-related planning and management |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.c: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities | – Number of countries that have developed and implemented policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products – Number of jobs in tourism industries directly proportional to the number of tourists |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.d: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | – Number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of institutional capacity to implement adaptation, mitigation, and technology transfer – Number of countries that have included climate change education and awareness-raising in school curricula |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.e: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities | – Number of least developed countries and small island developing states that are receiving specialized support, and amount of support, including finance, technology, and capacity-building, for mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change-related planning and management |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: meetings-conventions.com
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