According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 1,600 places across the globe tied or broke heat records in the past few weeks. Scientists say it’s the hottest the planet has been in about 120,000 years, the result of human-caused climate change. What’s behind the record temperatures? 

Joining the discussion: 

• Changhua Wu serves as Chair of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum’s Governing Council. 
• Bob Ward is the Policy and Communications Director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. 
• Michael K. Dorsey heads Arizona State University’s Walton Sustainability Solutions Service.
• Sweta Chakraborty is a Risk and Behavioral Scientist and CEO of U.S. Operations for the climate advocacy group “We Don’t Have Time”.

July 22, 2024 was the hottest day on record. Average global temperatures for July 21 & 23 also exceeded the previous record.

The preliminary finding comes from @NASA atmospheric models that combine millions of land, sea, air & satellite observations. https://t.co/qZoqWphzAd pic.twitter.com/8LRyrxxcYG

— NASA Climate (@NASAClimate) July 29, 2024

🌡️ New record: On 21 July, Earth's daily global average temperature hit 17.09°C, breaking the previous record from July 2023. This unprecedented heat underscores the urgent need for #ClimateAction.@CopernicusECMWF info: https://t.co/2NEKrgAcz8 pic.twitter.com/q6Pe5Si1uK

— UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) July 24, 2024

"Countries must phase out fossil fuels fast & fairly."

Amid record temperatures, @antonioguterres says that fossil fuel-charged, human-induced climate change is driving extreme heat, but we can limit its impact & save lives if we take #ClimateAction now. https://t.co/Vt8M4HQ2Uw pic.twitter.com/GM6CyoN5lv

— United Nations (@UN) July 28, 2024