Sunday was the hottest day on record. Then Monday beat it.

The 21st and 22nd of July setfor the hottest day on record globally.

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) shows the average surface air temperature was 17.15°C on 22 July, warmer than the previous record set the day before at 17.09°C.

C3S Director Carlo Buontempo said the world is now in “uncharted territory”.

Here’s what you need to know.

Hottest day on record

Copernicus tracks global temperatures using satellite data. It measures the air temperature two metres above the earth’s surface —both land and ocean.

The measurement is known as “surface air temperature” and is one of the most accurate ways to detect changes in the world’s temperature.

On 22 July, the world recorded its highest-ever surface air temperature since records began in 1940 at 17.15°C.

Trends

The previous hottest day on record was set the day before, 21 July, when the global average surface air temperature was 17.09°C.

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Copernicus data shows the ten highest daily temperatures over the past 50 years have all occurred since 2016.

The service said the high daily temperatures followed near-record heat recorded in the first half of July, which coincided with the northern hemisphere’s summer.

Emissions

Burning fossil fuels for everyday energy consumption, like coal, oil, and gas, releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere.

Adding more CO₂ and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere causes hotter temperatures on Earth.

a failure to reduce emissions will cause more extreme weather events, sea level rises, and food scarcity.

Experts warning

CEO of Australian think tank the Climate Council Amanda McKenzie told TDA the new heat records are “not surprising”.

McKenzie said climate scientists have warned for “decades” that the world will break more records unless governments take serious action to address global warming.

“This is another indicator that the world is heating very rapidly and there are huge implications for humanity in terms of worsening extremes.”