Winter experienced unusual warmth for a significant portion of the global population due to the burning of fossil fuels, as indicated by an analysis of temperature data from various locations worldwide.

This correlates with the recent findings from the European Union’s climate monitoring organization, Copernicus, which reported that February was the hottest on record globally, marking the ninth consecutive month of record-high temperatures. Furthermore, ocean temperatures in February were at an unprecedented high for any time of the year.

These data paint a picture of a world unequivocally warming, compounded by a natural El Niño weather pattern this year, resulting in uncharacteristic winter conditions in some regions.

An independent research group, Climate Central, conducted an analysis on anomalies in temperature data for 678 cities worldwide during December and January. They aimed to discern the impact of climate change on the unusual temperatures observed.

Cities in North America, Europe, and Asia stood out for experiencing exceptionally warm winters, with the influence of climate change being particularly noticeable. Climate Central’s vice-president for science, Andrew Pershing, highlighted the distinctive role of climate change in these instances.

In cities like Minneapolis, Tehran, and Milan, winter temperatures were significantly warmer than average, with clear signals of human-made climate change detected. The analysis revealed that a substantial portion of the global population experienced temperatures influenced by carbon pollution.

While some regions faced other crises, such as war, the impact of climate change was evident in many cities across Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, contributing to warmer-than-usual winter conditions.

In tropical regions like Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, where temperatures are typically high, the effects of climate change were more easily identified, despite smaller temperature increases.

February 2024 marked the warmest February on record globally, with temperatures exceeding the average from the preindustrial era. This continues a trend of consecutive months breaking temperature records.

Although global temperatures have consistently surpassed previous records, we have not yet exceeded the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. The ocean, in particular, has experienced unprecedented warmth in the short term.