UN: Last July, hottest month ever

Last July was equal to the warmer month, if not warmer, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced, referring to new data from the World Meteorological Organization and the Copernicus Programme.

“According to the latest data from the World Meteorology Organisation and its climate centre, the temperature in last July was equal to or higher than any month since the measurements were done, preceded by June the hottest since then”, Guterres said.

He warned that if action is not taken urgently to facilitate climate change, such extreme weather phenomena would only be the tip of the iceberg, Kosova Prees broadcast.

And this iceberg is melting too quickly. Leading global scientists suggest that we should limit the rise of temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius if we want to avoid the worst effects of climate change. We have to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2030. We have to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. We must include climate risks in all decisions to promote sustainable climate growth, reduce climate change sensitivity and avoid investments that could cause even greater damage, “said Guterres.

The announcement also comes as a presentation of the upcoming 2019 summit on Climate Action at its highest level in September at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The secretary general called on leaders of world governments, companies and civil society to come to the summit with concrete plans to strengthen national contributions by 2020 and strategy for carbon neutrality by 2050.