The summer drought is still affecting Europe, although more rain than usual has been received in autumn.
Since June, every month of this year has been record warm, says EU climate information service Copernicus.
According to the information service, it is already clear that the current year will become the hottest on Earth during the entire time that reliable measurements have been made. Global measurements have been made reliably since the 1940s.
– In 2023, we have had six record-breaking months and two record-breaking seasons, says Copernicus’ deputy director Samantha Burgess in the institution’s bulletin.
Copernicus points out that November on Earth was on average 1.75 degrees warmer than average Novembers in pre-industrial times. In addition, there were two days in November this year when average temperatures exceeded 2 degrees compared to pre-industrial times.
The diagram attached to the organization’s announcement shows that the difference in average temperatures to the previous record year 2016 is large.
– As long as the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases, we cannot expect any other outcome. Temperatures are rising and the effects of warming, such as droughts and heat waves, are intensifying, Burgess said.
The end of this year is also affected by the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, which will continue next year as well. Next year may be even warmer than this year.
In most parts of Europe, exceptionally large amounts of rain have been measured in autumn. However, the soil is drier than average after the summer drought. Only in Northern Europe and in parts of Greece, Spain and Western Russia have the rains remained below average.
The UN climate summit is currently underway in Dubai, which aims to find ways to curb warming. Chairman of the meeting Sultan al-Jaber encouraged the participants this morning to “finish the job”.
Source: AP