On August 13, 2021, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that July 2021 was the hottest month on record.
 

Here's a look at July 2021 in numbers:

• Global records: Surface and ocean surface temperatures were 0.93°C above the 20th century average of 15.8°C, making it the hottest July since records began 142 years ago. This is 0.01°C higher than July 2016, which achieved the highest temperature ever recorded (and the same value for 2019 and 2020).
• Northern Hemisphere record: For surface temperatures, the record is 1.54°C higher than average, surpassing the record set in 2012.
• Regional records: Asia experienced the hottest July, breaking the record set in 2010. Europe tied 2010 and had the second hottest month on record after July 2018. North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania also experienced the 10th hottest month on record. 

Over the weekend, heavy rainfall has been reported in many parts of Japan. At the same time, the world is experiencing frequent forest fires due to heat waves and dryness, and extreme weather phenomena seem to be occurring all over the world. Climate change affects the water cycle and increases the frequency of floods or droughts through increasing the intensity of rainfall. As the IPCC report released last week on August 9 mentions, it confirms the acceleration of climate change caused by anthropogenic activities.

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki (Director, Information Program)