The future is…hot. Al Gore was right.

The summer sun blazes on as I write this. I'm compelled to reflect on the heat that has enveloped us. It's not just any heat – it's record-breaking, unprecedented heat. Why dedicate a post to this scorching topic? Let me offer two reasons:

Credit @Eric Lee / Paramount Classics

1. Al Gore was right. The 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth featured Gore detailing the threat that global warming poses to the Earth, and the scientific consensus on its future effects on our lives.
2. July was Earth’s hottest month on record.

Gore's warnings about the impending threat of global warming were no mere speculations. Scientific consensus supported his assertions about the dire consequences of climate change. The reality is here, and it's demanding our attention.

July 2023 was steaming. In fact, this past July was the hottest month ever documented across the globe. Climate scientists reveal that it might stand as the hottest month in over 120,000 years. 

Credit: Matt Palmer

Extreme weather events – from scorching heatwaves to devastating floods and wildfires – disrupted lives worldwide. July holds the title of the hottest month in the northern hemisphere. When coupled with the re-emergence of El Niño warming of the Pacific Ocean, temperatures soared to unprecedented levels. The impact of human-induced climate change unquestionably compounded the problem, resulting in more frequent, intense, and enduring heatwaves like we've seen this summer.

Here in Japan, Tokyo experienced its hottest July on record, featuring an extraordinary 13 days of temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius. August 5 witnessed temperatures soaring to 40 degrees in Fukushima Prefecture, marking Japan's hottest day this year. This alarming data paints a clear picture – our world seems to be turning into an oven.

Yet, even in the face of such depressing challenges, there's room for optimism. Recall the ozone layer crisis of the 1990s. A hole in the ozone layer, created by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), prompted international cooperation. The Montreal Protocol successfully halted CFC production, showing that if we use our heads we can combat environmental threats collectively.

Yes, the world was a hot mess this summer. Yet we possess the potential to rewrite this narrative.

I think we can. I hope we will.