July was the hottest month ever recorded, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded in a climate report, fueling fears and speculation about the pace of climate change.
NOAA released data Friday suggesting that the global surface temperature was nearly two degrees Fahrenheit above average, or one degree Celsius, which made it the hottest month ever recorded.
The new record comes after the UN issued a “code red for humanity” after temperatures were expected to exceed a limit first set in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
(2 of 5) #July 2021 global surface temp was 1.67°F (0.93°C) above avg — making it the hottest July recorded to date.https://t.co/xKGLizOml4 via @NOAANCEIclimate #StateOfClimate report #July2021 pic.twitter.com/8hHkF8ndVM
— NOAA (@NOAA) August 13, 2021
“In this case, first place is the worst place to be,” Rick Spinrad, a NOAA administrator, said in the agency’s statement, adding that the new record “adds to the disturbing and disruptive path” of climate change.
July’s combined temperature beat out the previous record set in July of 2016 by 0.02 of a degree Fahrenheit, fueled by the highest-ever recorded land-surface temperature in the Northern Hemisphere. (RELATED: Largest Wildfire Ever On Hawaii’s Big Island Causes Thousands To Evacuate)
NOAA’s data report highlighted the unusual and extreme heat wave that occurred over the western U.S. in late June and early July, with several states experiencing their hottest July on record. North America reportedly recorded it’s sixth-hottest July ever.
Asia reportedly saw its hottest July on record, according to NOAA, while Europe had recorded its second-hottest July ever. The data also suggested that the Arctic’s sea ice extent was the fourth-smallest July extent on record.
President Joe Biden called climate change the “greatest physical threat” to America during a June speech to troops in the U.K. More recently, House progressives pushed for funding for “climate and environmental justice” as part of an infrastructure reconciliation package to Democrats.