[Global warming, Photo credit: Freepik]

Following the infamous summer of 2023, 2024 will likely be the “hottest year in history.”

Recently, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany stated that 'the global temperature has risen by 0.2 to 0.25 degrees Celsius since El Niño’ and anticipates that '2024 will be the hottest year in history.'

This is because summer temperatures are primarily influenced by the ongoing global warming crisis coupled with El Niño, the perpetrator of last year's brutal summer.

To provide some context, El Niño refers to the human-caused phenomenon where the sea surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean are more than 0.5 degrees Celsius above average for over five consecutive months (based on a three-month moving average).

In 2023, summer temperatures surpassed the previous benchmark, earning the title as 'the hottest year since the last interglacial period 125,000 years ago.'

As for 2024, the Korea Meteorological Administration announced that the sea surface temperatures in the Pacific have risen, indicating that El Niño will occur starting in May.

Then, given such detrimental projections for the year ahead, what implications will this have for Korea?

When El Niño occurs, South Korea typically experiences increased rainfall and lower temperatures in the southern regions from mid-July to mid-August.

In South Korea, El Niño has occurred 23 times since 1951, with strong El Niño effects being indicative of the highest number of rainy days on record.

For example, in 2015, nationwide rainfall persisted for 14.9 days, recording the second-highest amount in history, at 267% above the average.

Even more, nationwide temperatures were 2 degrees Celsius above the average.

Needless to say, Meteorological experts are now forecasting 2024 to have record-breaking heat in addition to high sea surface temperatures.

Even United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his concerns: "The end of the era of global warming and the beginning of the era of global heating.”

From the point of view of the South Korean government, it must start addressing the pressing issue of climate change through comprehensive policies and initiatives that aim at reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices across all sectors of Korean society.

With growing concerns about global warming, what are some actions that we can take to mitigate the effects of the hot summers?

First, reduce your energy consumption by minimizing heating and cooling systems, transitioning to LED lighting, and using energy-efficient appliances at home.

Second, opt for alternative modes of transportation, such as walking or biking short distances, to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions from excessive car rides and promote your wellbeing.

Finally, even when traveling longer distances, choose to take public transportation, such as buses or subways, and even carpool to minimize the number of cars on the road.

By implementing such practical and applicable steps to decrease energy consumption and prioritize eco-friendly options, we can hope for a cooler summer.

Ultimately, we must remember that the summer of 2024 will only be the beginning of global heating; it’s imperative that we work to resolve global warming, an imminent threat to humanity.