Europe presents a live picture of a warming world and reminds us that even well prepared societies are not safe from impacts of extreme weather events
Europe has warmed more than twice the global average over the past 30 years. It has experienced more significant temperature rise than any other continent, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The impacts of this warming are already being seen — with droughts, wildfires, heatwaves, floods and ice melts occurring across the continent.
Europe’s average temperatures have risen by 0.5 degrees Celsius each decade since 1991. Exceptional heat, wildfires, floods and other effects of climate change will influence society, economies and ecosystems, warned the report released November 2, 2022.
“Europe presents a live picture of a warming world and reminds us that even well prepared societies are not safe from impacts of extreme weather events,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement.
The continent has been encountering record temperatures and heatwaves over the past few years.
Europe experienced a series of heatwaves from May through August 2022. It impacted Spain, Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, central Europe and Scandinavia, according to the European Commission.
The United Kingdom crossed the 40°C mark for the first time July 19, 2022. Temperatures exceeded 40°C in France, 45°C in Spain and 46°C in Portugal, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
“This year, like 2021, large parts of Europe have been affected by extensive heatwaves and drought, fuelling wildfires,” said Taalas.
Alpine glaciers’ ice thickness decreased by 30 metres between 1997 and 2021. Sea level rise is accelerating due to the melting of ice sheet in Greenland.
A melt event and the first-ever rainfall were seen at Summit station — Greenland’s highest point in 2021. These events have provoked concerns among environmentalists.
High-impact weather and climate events in 2021 caused hundreds of fatalities and economic losses of over $50 billion. Storms or floods accounted for about 84 per cent of the incidents.
Temperatures have been rising significantly above average across vast swathes of the continent. Europe is enduring unusually warm temperatures following a summer that saw numerous heatwaves across much of the continent.
Mercury levels are expected to exceed 20°C in several parts of the UK, Germany, France and other countries this weekend, according to national weather agencies.
The UK has been experiencing above-average temperatures since the beginning of summer this year. Most of continental Europe will be exceptionally warm in the coming days, according to the UK’s meteorological office.
Europe is experiencing exceptional temperatures even as it ascends to autumn. This raises concerns among environmentalists as they call it a sign of accelerating climate change.
The unseasonal hot spell in autumn has brought a new word — verono — into the Spanish lexicon. It is a combination of verano (summer) and otono (autumn). Temperatures ascended to their highest levels on record across large swaths of Europe in October.
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Europe’s average temperatures have risen by 0.5 degrees Celsius each decade since 1991. Photo: iStock.png)
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