How to obtain the current UTC date using the UTC_DATE() function?

UTC_DATE(datetime) is a MySQL built-in function that returns the current UTC date. For example:

SELECT UTC_DATE(), NOW(), @@system_time_zone;
  -- +------------+---------------------+--------------------+
  -- | UTC_DATE() | NOW()               | @@system_time_zone |
  -- +------------+---------------------+--------------------+
  -- | 2023-11-16 | 2023-11-15 23:12:44 | EST                |
  -- +------------+---------------------+--------------------+

Reference information of the UTC_DATE() function:

UTC_DATE(): date
  Returns the current UTC date as a value in 'YYYY-MM-DD' or
  YYYYMMDD format, depending on whether the function is used
  in string or numeric context.

Arguments, return value and availability:
  date: Return value. The current UTC date.
  Available since MySQL 4.

Related MySQL functions:

• UTC_TIME() - Current UTC Time
• UTC_TIMESTAMP() - Current UTC Timestamp

⇒ UTC_TIME() - Current UTC Time

⇐ UNIX_TIMESTAMP() - Calculating Unix Timestamp

⇑ MySQL Functions on Date and Time

⇑⇑ MySQL Function References