The Results Of Earth’s ‘Annual Physical’ Are A Scary Dose Of Deja Vu

The report, co-authored by 456 scientists from 62 countries, adds to overwhelming evidence demonstrating that unless immediate action is taken to reduce carbon emissions, our planet will continue on its path to a very grim future. 

Driven by long-term warming and “one of the strongest El Niño events the globe has experienced since at least 1950,” 2015 “easily” surpassed 2014 as the warmest year on record by more than 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NOAA’s findings.

El Niño, a phenomenon highlighted by warmer-than-usual sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, is capable of changing weather around the globe.

Earth in 2015 also experienced declining global ice and snow cover, harmful effects on Arctic animal and fish species, and extreme weather events, including a record-breaking cyclone season, flooding, severe drought and fire.

“I think the time to call the doctor was years ago,” Deke Arndt, a NOAA climate monitoring chief and co-editor of the report, told CBS News. “We are awash in multiple symptoms.”