Temperatures in Europe reach record highs for July
According to data from the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation and the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service, July this year is predicted to be the hottest ever recorded.
This summer has broken a few temperature records, with the first few weeks of July, in particular, being the warmest three-week period on record. In a statement, the agencies said July will almost certainly be the hottest ever seen in Europe by a “significant margin”.
The statement, which was released last week, continues to point out that the high temperatures reflect recent heatwaves around the world, including parts of Europe, North America, and Asia. It also notes that it’s likely these changes are driven by human behavior affecting the climate.
In the statement, the director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service said, “Record-breaking temperatures are part of the trend of drastic increases in global temperatures. Anthropogenic emissions are ultimately the main driver of these rising temperatures.”
Heatwaves throughout Europe
In July, Europe experienced heatwaves on a large scale, which meant flooding and wildfires. Greece, Spain, and Italy have been the worst affected by the high temperatures, and some of the Greek Islands like Rhodes and Corfu have even been evacuated.
However, the scientists in the report warn that things could get worse in years to come, saying, “The extreme weather which has affected many millions of people in July is, unfortunately, the harsh reality of climate change and a foretaste of the future. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever before. Climate action is not a luxury but a must.”
When gases like methane and carbon dioxide are released, they can end up having a warming effect because they trap heat. Due to fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, there are now more of these gases in the atmosphere, and scientists have warned that this will increase temperatures.
The only way to prevent more damage is to reduce the use of fossil fuels quickly. Otherwise, there could be more extreme heat, wildfires, droughts, and floods in the future.
