5 must-read stories about nature and climate from 2023

With 2023 poised to become the hottest year ever documented, it's been a record-breaking 12 months for all the wrong reasons.

Throughout the year, we have reported on the outcome of the COP28 climate talks in Dubai, scientific climate studies, historic treaties, and droughts, floods, storms, wildfires and other weather extremes.

We've also been keen to highlight positive events like reforestation efforts, nature wins, and innovations that conserve and protect biodiversity and the natural world.

Here we look back at some of the most-read nature and climate stories of this year.

In the wake of the COP28 climate talks in November, our weekly nature and climate news round-ups highlighted the landmark agreement by negotiators from almost 200 countries to reduce global consumption of fossil fuels - to prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

This is the first time a UN climate summit has mentioned reducing the use of all fossil fuels.

COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber labelled the agreement "historic", but added that its success will depend on how it is implemented around the world.

COP28: Deal agreed for global transition away from fossil fuels, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

The answer to this enquiring headline from November is: yes, 2023 is "highly likely" to become the hottest year ever recorded.

The world saw its hottest average temperatures for October, September, August and July this year.

October temperatures were 0.85°C above the 1991-2020 average for the month, and 0.4°C higher than the previous warmest October, which came in 2019, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

“We can say with near certainty that 2023 will be the warmest year on record, and is currently 1.43°C above the pre-industrial average,” said the Copernicus Climate Change Service's Deputy Director, Samantha Burgess, following the news of the October temperature records.

Is 2023 going to be the hottest year on record?

Copernicus: October 2023 Exceptional temperature anomalies

In March we covered the signing of the High Seas Treaty, a legally binding accord between member states of the United Nations ensuring the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The treaty includes an agreement to impose strict protection of the ocean outside national borders and rules for the sustainable use of its resources.

For the first time in history, rules will be in place to effectively manage and govern that vast blue wilderness we depend on for so much of our lives – 99% of which has been ungoverned until now.

Why the High Seas Treaty is a breakthrough for the ocean and the planet

As the climate crisis intensifies, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) launched its AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 in March, which summarized five years of reports on global temperature rises, fossil fuel emissions and climate impacts.

The new report says that despite progress in policies and legislation around climate mitigation since the previous one, published in 2014, it's "likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century".

To keep within the 1.5°C limit, emissions need to be reduced by at least 43% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, and at least 60% by 2035. This is the decisive decade to make that happen.

Climate change: The IPCC just published its summary of 5 years of reports –here's what you need to know

At the start of the year, the buzzword "polycrisis" began to pepper news headlines, including our own. The term refers to an interrelated cluster of crises facing the world.

Failure to mitigate climate change is the number one risk facing the planet in the next decade, according to The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2023.

Climate change and associated environmental concerns dominate the top six spots on the Forum’s global list of risks.

The World Economic Forum's Sustainable Development Impact Meeting was held at to respond to some of these challenges. The event marks the halfway point of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda.

We’re on the brink of a ‘polycrisis’ – how worried should we be?

Global Risks Report 2023

SDIM: Everything you need to know about Day 1