Last month was warmest March on record: EU

BRUSSELS

Last month was the warmest March on record worldwide, the EU said on Tuesday.

The average surface air temperature for last month was recorded at 14.14C (57.45F), said Copernicus, the EU's Earth observation program.

This figure was 0.73C above the January 1991-2020 average, and surpassed the previous record for the warmest March, recorded in 2020, by 0.10C.

The statement highlighted that the last 10 months have been the warmest months in recorded history.

Additionally, it reported that the global average temperature for the last 12 months (April 2023-March 2024) was 0.70C above the 1991-2020 average.

Global warming

The average temperature in Europe this March was 2.12C above the March 1991-2020 average, according to the observation program.

This made it the second-warmest March recorded on the continent, with temperatures notably above average in central and eastern regions.

Temperatures were also above average in various regions around the world.

"Stopping further warming requires rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor in Istanbul