Life on Earth 'under siege' as world's vital signs in crisis, scientists warn

Earth's "vital signs" are worse than at any time in human history, an international team of scientists has warned, meaning life on the planet is in peril.

- Damian Carrington

Their report found that 20 of the 35 planetary vital signs they use to track the climate crisis are at record extremes. The indicators include greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature, sea level rise and human and livestock population.

Many climate records were broken by enormous margins in 2023, including global air temperature, ocean temperature and Antarctic sea ice extent, the researchers said. The highest monthly surface temperature ever recorded was in July and was probably the hottest the planet has been in 100,000 years.

The scientists also highlighted an extraordinary wildfire season in Canada that produced unprecedented carbon dioxide emissions. These totalled ibn tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the entire annual output of Japan, the world's fifth biggest polluter. They said the huge area burned could indicate a tipping point into a new fire regime.

The researchers urged a transition to a global economy that prioritised human wellbeing and cut the excessive emissions of the rich. The top 10% of emitters were responsible for almost 50% of global emissions in 2019, they said.