September 2023 saw Earth’s hottest global temperatures ever recorded, according to data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 

The average surface temperature for the month reached 16.38°C, surpassing the previous September record in 2020 by 0.5°C and marking a significant 1.75°C increase compared to pre-industrial levels (1850-1900).

This worrying trend of record-breaking land and sea-surface temperatures underscores the rapid impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet's climate. 

Experts now predict that 2023 is on track to become the hottest year on record.

“WMO will work with our partners in the scientific community to try to understand what additional factors are contributing to this exceptional warming,” stated WMO Secretary-General Professor Petteri Taalas. 

The organisation combines data from various sources, including the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), to monitor global climate conditions. 

Their comprehensive assessment for 2023 is scheduled to debut at the UN climate change conference, COP28, in Dubai this November.

Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, has emphasised the severity of the situation, saying; "The unprecedented temperatures for the time of year observed in September - following a record summer - have broken records by an extraordinary amount. 

“This extreme month has pushed 2023 into the dubious honour of first place - on track to be the warmest year and around 1.4°C above preindustrial average temperatures. Two months out from COP28 – the sense of urgency for ambitious climate action has never been more critical.”

As the world faces these critical climate challenges, experts call for stringent measures to align with the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, with aspirations for 1.5°C. 

While individual months may breach these targets, the focus remains on long-term mitigation efforts.

Other key points from the global temperature data include the fact that September 2023 marked the most anomalously warm month in the ERA5 dataset since 1940. 

It also shows the global temperature for January-September 2023 was 1.40°C above the preindustrial average. 

The data suggests Europe experienced its hottest September on record, with temperatures 1.1°C higher than in 2020. 

Additionally, sea ice levels in both the Antarctic and Arctic regions reached record lows in September, while El Niño conditions continue to develop in the equatorial eastern Pacific.

The September monthly figures were published as a new synthesis report from the UN Convention on Climate Change previewed Parties’ blueprint for decisions on the global stocktake at COP28.