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June 23, 2023

Beijing Suffers Warmest June Day on Record; Southern U.S. and Mexico Bake Under Heat Wave
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In climate news, Beijing is suffering its warmest June heat wave on
record, with high temperatures in the Chinese capital Thursday climbing
above 41 degrees Celsius, or 106 degrees Fahrenheit - its hottest June
day since records began. In Mexico, a searing heat wave has driven
record demand for electricity, with reports of blackouts in a dozen
states this week. The extreme heat extends into the United States, where
parts of Texas and other southern states face "excessive heat" warnings
into next week. This comes as smoke from massive wildfires continues to
trigger air pollution warnings in Canada and parts of the U.S., with
"unhealthy" air quality forecast for Chicago and much of Wisconsin
today. The Union of Concerned Scientists reports half of the U.S.
population has faced an extreme weather alert so far this year.

Meanwhile, a new study published in the journal Nature Sustainability
finds Earth's ecosystems are degrading from global heating even more
rapidly than previously thought, with one in five ecosystems - including
the Amazon rainforest - at risk of passing a crucial "tipping point" by
the end of the century.


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