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By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

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With four months left in 2023, this year is so far the second-hottest on record, only marginally behind 2016, according to data from the European Union Climate Change Service, Copernicus.

“Global temperature records continue to tumble in 2023,” Copernicus deputy head Samantha Burgess said.

“The scientific evidence is overwhelming, we will continue to see more climate records and more intense and frequent extreme weather events impacting society and ecosystems, until we stop emitting greenhouse gasses,” Burgess said.

In Europe, August was wetter than normal over large parts of central Europe and Scandinavia leading to flooding, while France, Greece, Italy and Portugal saw droughts that led to wildfires. Well-above average temperatures were also recorded in Australia, several South American countries and around much of Antarctica in August, the institute said.

The rising temperatures are also affecting the health and safety conditions of workers. Not surprisingly, white-collar workers in air-conditioned offices will be less affected: the big impact will remain initially on outdoor workers in sectors from construction to agriculture and in particular those in the Global South.

1. Summer 2023 was hottest on record, scientists say

The summer of 2023 was the hottest on record, according to data from the same EU institute. The three-month period from June through August surpassed previous records by a large margin, with an average temperature of 16.8 degrees Celsius (62.2F) – 0.66 C above average. This comes as Britain recorded its hottest day of the year so far on Thursday. The country’s national weather service said provisional data showed a high of 32.6 C (90.7 F) in south east England.

Diego, a builder, takes a water break during hot weather in Manvel, Texas, U.S., July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Adrees Latif/File Photo

2. Climate change adds workplace costs and hazards

As global warming leads to more frequent spells of extreme heat around the world, workers are among the most exposed to serious health risks because their livelihoods often depend on them carrying on regardless.

3. Climate change and air pollution must be tackled together, World Meteorological Organization says

Climate change is having a measurable impact on air quality and therefore human health, meaning the two must be tackled together and not in isolation, a report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) showed.

4. Companies call for more action on carbon, subsidies at COP28

Ditch fossil fuel subsidies, agree the rules for carbon markets and provide more finance to emerging markets. That was the clear message from business leaders at the Reuters Impact conference in London about what they say needs to happen at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit.

5. As deadly Greek rainstorm ebbs, a trail of devastation emerges

Receding flood waters have revealed a trail of devastation in central Greece left by a rainstorm that raged for three days, killing at least six people and causing billions of euros worth of damage.

In a bid to quell safety concerns, Japan’s fisheries agency has been testing fish off the coast of Fukushima daily since the country began releasing treated water from its wrecked nuclear plant into the sea last month. Click here or on the image for the video.

India’s power sector emissions from fossil fuels exceeded those of Europe’s for the first time in April, May and June of this year, and are on course to permanently eclipse Europe’s power pollution totals due to diverging trends in fossil fuel use.

In Europe, cuts to coal and natural gas use alongside increases in renewable energy generation have trimmed total power emissions by 11% in the opening seven months of the year from the same period in 2022, data from think-tank Ember shows.

$100 billion

Developing countries have proposed that a new U.N. fund unlocks at least $100 billion by 2030 to address irreversible damage caused by climate change, as states prepare to discuss who will benefit and who will pay in at the U.N. COP28 climate summit.

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