Global temperatures are unstoppably rising. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that the global average temperature on July 3, 2023, reached 17.01 degrees Celsius, the highest since 1979 when the weather observations started. Since that time, the temperature recorded new highs every day, reaching 17.24 degrees on July 7. Sea water temperature has also been continuously rising. Moreover, according to the data by WMO, the global sea surface temperature reached a record high in May and June, and the sea ice extent in Antarctica fell to the lowest level since the observations began. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the sea surface temperature of some parts of the Gulf of Mexico and waters near the southwestern Florida peninsula reached 35 to 36 degrees Celsius from July 9 to 10.

Needless to say, temperature and rainfall are correlated. The heavy rain that fell in the State of New York in the US from July 9 to 10 was described as “once in 1,000-year rainfall.” The same is true for Japan. The Kyushu region was hit by a disaster of torrential rain again. Since the torrential rain occurred in northern Hiroshima in 2014, the formation of “training” became like an ordinary phenomenon. Heavy rainfall, which is said to occur “once in several decades,” actually occurs frequently in various areas. If this occurs, as well as many human lives, the foundation of life, economic activities, urban functions, and the ecosystem will be at risk.

The direct factor of the extreme heat is El Niño, which raises the temperature of seawater in the area between the International Date Line and the area off the Pacific coast of Peru in South America above the normal temperature. El Niño that has been occurring this summer is called “Super El Niño,” having a temperature difference that is larger than normal, and its effects have been widespread and serious. There have been record-breaking intense heat waves in Spain, Portugal, Italy, North America, China, and many other Asian countries, and the highest temperature in northwestern India has exceeded 50 degrees.

Many people are aware that global warming is the cause of El Niño becoming “super.” On the other hand, there are some people who underestimate global warming, such as those who believe that extreme weather is mainly caused by the cycle of the earth that repeats every 100,000 years. However, there is no doubt that the increase in the concentration of CO2 contributed to the speed of the rise of global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, and we have no choice but to do what we can do by ourselves and by taking effective political measures.

The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) will be held in Dubai, UAE, in November and December this year. There has been persistent criticism of the President, Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE and CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). However, he stated that the phasedown of fossil fuels is inevitable, and he aims to achieve zero emissions virtually by 2050. He also said that energy transition is an opportunity for existing industries as well. The COP is always a place where the national interests of various countries in various positions such as developed and developing countries come into conflict. Therefore, the President’s skill as a “coordinator” is required. I look forward to seeing an adventurous and highly effective “realistic solution.”

This Week’s Focus, July 14

Takashi Mizukoshi, the President