UNITED KINGDOM: Temperatures in Europe have increased at a rate that is more than twice as fast as the global average over the past 30 years, making it the warmest continent in the world.
Exceptional heat, wildfires, floods, and other effects of climate change will have an impact on society, the economy, and ecosystems if the warming trend continues, claims a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Europe’s Climate after a Summer of Extremes
In recent years, Europe has become a “heatwave hotspot” due to its record-breaking temperatures.
Following a summer of extremes, a report on the state of the climate in Europe is released. Britain was roasted by a heatwave that set records, the Alpine glaciers were melting at a rate never before seen, and the Mediterranean Sea was heated for days by a marine heatwave.
On the other hand, the Greenland ice sheet is rapidly melting and hastening the rise in sea level. Greenland’s highest peak, Summit Station, witnessed its first-ever rainfall in the summer of 2021.
WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement that “Europe presents a live picture of a warming world and reminds us that even well-prepared societies are not safe from the impacts of extreme weather events.”
In addition to lamenting “death and devastation” caused by last year’s “exceptional floods,” Taalas stated that “this year, like 2021, large parts of Europe have been affected by extensive heatwaves and drought, fueling wildfires.”
As per the analysis, while the global average only rose by 0.2 degrees C between 1991 and 2021, temperatures over Europe increased by an average of 0.5 degrees C every decade.
In 2021, high-impact weather and climate events had a direct impact on more than 500,000 people, 84% of whom were affected by storms and floods. These catastrophes caused more than $50 billion in economic losses and hundreds of deaths.
Regardless of future levels of global warming, the report forewarned that temperatures will probably keep rising across Europe at a rate faster than changes in the global mean temperature.
Scientists contend that the fact that a sizable chunk of Europe is situated in the planet’s fastest-warming regions—the sub-Arctic and Arctic—is what causes it to warm more quickly than other continents. Climate feedback changes are another reason.
Even though temperatures are rising, the report stated that the European Union has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 31% between 1990 and 2020 and intends to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030.
WMO reiterated its call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a tweet from yesterday to keep the momentum of climate action going.
The report was released days before the annual COP 27 climate meeting of the United Nations, which will begin on November 6 in Egypt.
Leaders from around the world, including French President Emmanuel Macron and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, are anticipated to attend and explore solutions to the problem of global warming.
Also Read: United Kingdom Prime Minister Liz Truss Apologizes for Any Errors
