Climate records tumble

A series of climate records on temperature, ocean heat, and Antarctic sea ice have alarmed some scientists.

Who say their speed and timing is “unprecedented”.Dangerous heatwaves in Europe could break further records, the UN says.It is hard to immediately link these events to climate change because weather – and oceans – are so complex.Studies are under way, but scientists already fear some worst-case scenarios are unfolding.

We can certainly expect more and more of these records to break as the year goes on and we enter 2024, scientists say.But it would be wrong to call what is happening a “climate collapse” or “runaway warming”, cautions Dr Otto.We are in a new era, but “we still have time to secure a liveable future for many”, she explains.