Categories: News

Climate change: Europe is a ‘live picture of a warming world’, with temperatures rising more than twice as much as other continents | Climate News

[ad_1]

Europe has warmed more than twice as much as the rest of the world in the past three decades, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.

Between 1991 and 2021, temperatures in Europe warmed an average of 0.5C (0.9F) per decade, compared to the global average of 0.2C (0.36F).

This is despite the European Union cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 31% between 1990 and 2020.

One of the factors in Europe’s warming is that a large part of the continent is in the sub-Arctic and Arctic regions – the fastest-warming area on Earth.

And there were fewer clouds during the summer, allowing more sunlight and heat to reach the continent, according to Freja Vamborg, senior scientist with the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Last summer in Europe broke records – there was a heatwave in many countries and Alpine glaciers have continued to melt rapidly.

The UK saw its hottest temperature ever recorded and there were also destructive wildfires in France, Turkey, Italy and Greece.

In 2021, it is estimated that extreme weather events made worse by climate change – such as floods – cost the continent more than $50bn (£43.8bn).

WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said: “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.

Image:
More than half of EU territory was designated as being in drought in September

“On the mitigation side, the good pace in reducing greenhouse gases emissions in the region should continue and ambition should be further increased.

“Europe can play a key role towards achieving a carbon neutral society by the middle of the century to meet the Paris Agreement.”

Meanwhile, world leaders are preparing to travel to Egypt next week for COP27, the annual United Nations climate summit.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak initially refused to attend due to “other pressing domestic commitments” but, following criticism, he changed his mind on Wednesday.

The summit will run from 6-18 November.

The UK chaired the previous summit last year, Glasgow’s COP26, where world leaders made a series of pledges culminating in an agreement to strengthen emissions-cutting targets for 2030 by the end of next year.

Read more: Everything you need to know about the United Nations climate talks in Egypt
World so far off targets needed to stop global warming it will destroy economies, says UN report
Campaigners breathe a sigh of relief as Rishi Sunak reinstates fracking ban

[ad_2]

Source link

admin

Recent Posts

What is the SCAR gun in Call of Duty? – Spaxton School

The SCAR-H is an assault rifle featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Call…

6 months ago

Is Warhammer Quest 2 multiplayer? – Spaxton School

Over the past two years, Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower has been an enjoyable single-player experience.…

6 months ago

Is the Mario mushroom edible? – Spaxton School

A very important note though, these mushrooms are poisonous so don’t eat them. Though they…

6 months ago

What is the latest version of eFootball? – Spaxton School

We would like to inform you that the v1. 0.0 update for eFootball™ 2022 (available…

6 months ago

What are the different light colors in PS4? – Spaxton School

When you press the PS button, the light bar will glow in a uniquely assigned…

6 months ago

Is it possible to miss Garrus? – Spaxton School

Garrus is easy to miss in the original Mass Effect. Shepard can recruit him after…

6 months ago