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By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

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If you felt hotter than usual last month, then your instincts were right as globally June was just over 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) above the average temperature for the same month in 1991-2020, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Last month smashed the previous temperature record for June – which was in 2019 – by a substantial margin, Copernicus said, as climate change pushes global temperatures to new records and short-term weather patterns also drive temperature movements.

Meanwhile, China has been experiencing a severe heat wave for several weeks, pushing local governments to ask residents and businesses to curb electricity use. Weather experts have predicted the extreme temperatures could eclipse last year’s scorching spell, which lasted for more than two months.

1. June was world’s hottest on record, EU scientists say

Last month was the hottest June globally on record, with abnormally high temperatures recorded on both land and sea, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said. This comes as data from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction noted that Monday, July 3, was the hottest day ever recorded globally.

 A woman walks on a street as she shields herself from the sun with a hat, mask and umbrella, amid an alert for a heatwave in Shanghai, China July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/

2. China’s northern cities brace for more torrid heat

Chinese weather forecasters issued a string of heat advisories across northern parts of the country as temperatures were expected to breach 40C (104F) in some areas, stressing taxed power grids. Accessories such as hats with ultraviolet (UV) protection to coverings known as “facekinis”, which hide most of the face apart from the eyes, are selling out – sported mostly by women seeking head-to-toe protection.

3. South Korea says Japan’s water release plan meets standards

South Korea said Japan’s plan to discharge treated radioactive water from its  tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant met global safety standards and it respected the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s approval for the release. This comes as the largest fisheries market in Seoul steps up testing to show its products are safe.

4. Italy’s water resources hit rock bottom in 2022

Italy’s available water resources hit an all-time low in 2022, as a combination of rising temperatures and lower rainfall halved fresh supplies compared to the average of the last 30 years, data showed on Friday.

5. EU fears for global biodiversity goal if own nature law not passed

Europe will damage its ability to deliver on an international biodiversity deal if it fails to pass a flagship law to restore nature, the EU’s environment chief said ahead of what officials expect to be a tight vote next week.

It looks like a fish, it moves like a fish, but it is actually an autonomous robot. Designed by mechanical engineering students at ETH Zurich, ‘Belle’ uses AI to navigate its location while taking isolated e-DNA samples and high-resolution videos underwater. Click on the image for the video.

Goldman Sachs said the West may need more than $25 billion in investments to match China’s supply of rare earths, as export curbs by Beijing on minor metals fuel fears that rare earths could be next.

Europe and the U.S. are scrambling to wean themselves off rare earths from China, which account for 90% of global refined output. Concerns about supply were heightened this week by China’s decision to impose export restrictions on two minor metals used in semiconductors and electric vehicles.

$760 bln a year

Europe will require investments of more than 700 billion euros ($762 billion) a year to meet its energy transition goals to combat climate change, the European Commission said.

“Overall, additional investments of about 620 billion euro ($675 billion) annually will be needed to meet the objectives of the Green Deal and of our REPowerEU plan, with an additional 92 billion euros needed to address the objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act over the 2023-2030 period,” it said in a statement on its 2023 Strategic Foresight Report.

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