Rapid reduction in fossil fuel burning urgently needed to preserve liveable conditions, say scientists, as climate damage deepens

2023 “smashed” the record for the hottest year by a huge margin, providing “dramatic testimony” of how much warmer and more dangerous today’s climate is from the cooler one in which human civilisation developed.

The planet was 1.48C hotter in 2023 compared with the period before the mass burning of fossil fuels ignited the climate crisis. The figure is very close to the 1.5C temperature target set by countries in Paris in 2015, although the global temperature would need to be consistently above 1.5C for the target to be considered broken.

Scientists at the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (CCCS) said it was likely the 1.5C mark will be passed for the first time in the next 12 months.

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  • Nudding@lemmy.world
    152·
    10 months ago

    target of 1.5C

    currently 1.48C

    Do these people not understand significant digits lol?

    • Serinus@lemmy.world
      51·
      10 months ago

      I can see that as an editorial choice. “1.5C” is a well-known, recognized phrase. “1.50C” is not.

      • LwL@lemmy.world
        101·
        10 months ago

        Specifying 1.50 instead of 1.5 also implies that rounding was done (from an original value between 1.495 and 1.504) so it would be misleading if anything.

        Though I’m not sure I even understand what the original comment is getting at, significant figures do not change that 1.48 is less than 1.5, and it is relevant to say 1.48 instead of 1.4 as it is even closer.

        • Nudding@lemmy.world
          11·
          10 months ago

          If we’re talking about 1.5, you wouldn’t say 1.48, you’d just say 1.5 lol.

          • LwL@lemmy.world
            21·
            10 months ago

            But we’re comparing the actual deviation (1.48) to the target (1.5)