2023 saw unforgettable environmental events, from the start of El Niño, which exacerbated natural disasters, to controversial attempts to protest climate inaction.
Nations signed treaties to protect the seas, the Amazon rainforest saw a 50 percent decline in deforestation, oil executives led the COP 28 climate conference in Dubai, and the U.S. reported 21 species as extinct. 2023 has now been deemed the hottest year on record, by far, with global temperatures an average of 1.48 °C higher than the second half of the 19th century.
We will explore the significance of these stories and look ahead to what to expect in 2024.
Warming and natural disasters
Iconic images emerged from the devastation inflicted by natural disasters in 2023, including the February earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, which claimed over 50,000 lives.
The disaster exposed government mismanagement and a lack of oversight regarding building codes, which left residents vulnerable. Wildfires also occurred in Turkey, as well as Greece, Algeria, Indonesia, and the U.S. In August, the community of Lahaina on the island of Maui in Hawaii was devastated by wildfires, leaving 2,200 buildings, 86 percent of which were homes, uninhabitable. An unsafe water advisory was put out in the famous vacation destination, and the damage was estimated at over $5.5 billion.
One of the longest-lived tropical cyclones, Freddy, hit southeast Africa, damaging Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique from early February to mid-March. The storm killed over 1,400 people and hit Mozambique a second time in March. Monsoon rains also plagued Pakistan, China, Libya, Bangladesh, Guinea, and Kyrgyzstan.
Hurricane Otis destroyed parts of Acapulco, Mexico, in October and left meteorologists stunned by its rapid increase in magnitude. The El Niño Southern Oscillation, which warms Pacific waters and contributes to stronger storm formations, is expected to peak this winter, and peter out in April.
Unconventional protests
Given the steady stream of devastating images dominating headlines, many of which were linked to natural disasters and war in 2023, protesters became more brazen. A number of climate activists entered top-tier art museums and threw paint, oil, or other substances onto famous artworks.
Two young activists with the group Stop Big Oil threw a can of Campbell’s tomato soup onto the glass protecting Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting at the London National Gallery. They then glued their palms to the wall of the gallery before being arrested.
Other climate protests occurred at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, the National Gallery in Washington, DC, and the National Museum in Sweden. Authorities in the United States have been issuing harsher punishments that have prompted protestors to call for leniency on the activists. The art-climate protests have spurred debate on the efficacy of such acts. Many who support climate action do not agree with defacing valuable artworks to call attention to the need to end fossil fuel consumption.
Extinction
In 2023, scientists declared multiple species of animals and plants extinct. However, the declaration does not necessarily mean that 2023 was the year that the last of those species died out. In fact, some were last seen decades ago.
Still, scientists have warned that the globe is currently facing its sixth mass extinction due to myriad factors, including habitat destruction, agricultural expansion, pollution, disease, and invasive species.
The UK Natural History Museum stated that one in six species in Great Britain faces extinction, having seen, on average, a 19 percent decrease in flora and fauna species since 1970. In recent years, notable species to have been declared extinct include the golden toad of Costa Rica, Chinese paddlefish, and the bridled white-eye, a forest bird native to Guam.
Past attempts to protect endangered species have been successful. The Endangered Species Coalition has reported on the success of bringing back the bald eagle, grey wolf, and peregrine falcons. Well-enforced laws, wildlife corridors, and the targeting of invasive species all aid in managing endangered wildlife populations.
Looking ahead
2024 will likely see increased growth in the renewable energy sector, with nations aiming to achieve their carbon emission reduction pledges. As production increases, installation will likely become more cost-effective, yet it will also call for more critical minerals.
Norway’s parliament recently approved seabed mining exploration, a controversial decision that environmentalists oppose given how little is known about such operations. More direct attempts to reduce carbon emissions include U.S. President Joe Biden’s recently proposed rule that would fine fossil fuel companies for emitting excess methane. Climate-watchers will be monitoring an international treaty to curb plastic pollution, reforms in recycling programmes, the viability of a carbon market, and the evolution of carbon capture and sequestration technology.
2023 saw a slight uptick in global greenhouse gas emissions. Natural disasters will bring devastation but may be met with better-prepared governments. Should the wars in Gaza and Ukraine continue, the ecological damage may be felt for years. In 2024, the battle between economic growth and sustainable frameworks continues.
Photo: 17-year-old Muhammed Enes Yeninar is rescued along with his 21-year-old brother Abdulbaki Yeninar (not seen) from under rubble of a collapsed building 198 hours after 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes hit Turkiye’s Kahramanmaras, on February 14, 2023. (Credit: Mehmet Taha Mazı/AA)
Sarah Sakeena Marshall
