Overview

• A new study suggests that the Earth has warmed by 1.7 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius target set by the Paris Agreement.
• The study, led by Malcolm McCulloch, used centuries-old sponges from the Caribbean to measure past ocean temperatures, indicating that human-caused global warming began earlier than previously thought.
• Some scientists have expressed skepticism about the study's findings, arguing that it overreaches by basing global temperature estimates on data from a single region.
• The study's authors argue that their findings highlight the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid further dangerous climate change.
• Despite the controversy, the study contributes to the ongoing debate about the accuracy of historical temperature records and the urgency of addressing climate change.