As heat waves continue to bake parts of the world, scientists are reporting that this blistering, deadly summer was the hottest on record – and by a significant margin. 5 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels, according to Copernicus, a key threshold scientists have long warned the world must stay under to prevent the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. The Copernicus data was released the same day as the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its State of the Climate report for 2022 – an annual health check-up for the planet