The beginning of July was the hottest week on record for the planet as a whole, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The United Nations (UN) body also reported that June of this year has broken records as the hottest June on record. This alarming trend is attributed to the effects of climate change and the initial phases of an El Niño weather pattern.

“According to various datasets from our partners in different parts of the world, the first week of July set a new record in terms of daily temperatures,” said Dr Omar Baddour, chief of climate monitoring at WMO. “The WMO and wider scientific community are closely watching these dramatic changes in different components of the climate system, and sea surface temperatures,” he told a media briefing.

“The exceptional warmth in June and at the start of July occurred at the onset of the development of El Niño, which is expected to further fuel the heat both on land and in the oceans and lead to more extreme temperatures and marine heatwaves,” said Prof. Christopher Hewitt, WMO Director of Climate Services. “We are in uncharted territory and we can expect more records to fall as El Niño develops further and these impacts will extend into 2024,” he said. “This is worrying news for the planet.”

Record-high global sea surface temperatures were observed in both May and June, according to the UN body's report. This rise in temperatures will have significant consequences for fisheries distribution and overall ocean circulation, ultimately impacting the climate. The warming trend is not limited to the surface alone; the entire ocean is experiencing increased temperatures and absorbing energy that will persist for many years, the report noted.