CLIMATE CHANGE:

EUROPE RISES ITS TEMPERATURE TWICE AS FAST THAN THE WORLD AVERAGE (part 2)

The World Meteorological Organization released a report warning that since the 1980s the continent’s temperature “has doubled the global average temperature.”

The region suffered extreme heat waves, droughts and forest fires, “resulting in more than 16.000 deaths.”

 

GLOBAL WARMING DOESN’T STOP, IT GETS WORSE!

The temperature in Europe in 2023 “rose approximately 2.3 degrees above the average for the pre-industrial period (1850-1900)”, so the continent is experiencing warming at a faster rate, the World Meteorological Organization warned today. (WMO), the United Nations (UN) meteorological agency, published this month the second edition of its annual report State of the climate in Europe in 2023.

“Climate change worsens year after year.”

The region suffered extreme heat waves, droughts and forest fires, “resulting in more than 16.000 deaths”, they added.

To deal with the situation, the agency pointed out as “fundamental” the increase in the use of renewable energy.

 

STRONG REPORT

The report, produced jointly by the Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, noted that climate change is “seriously” affecting people, economies and the environment in Europe, “the continent that is experiencing global warming faster”.

According to the report, the year 2023 was marked by “extreme heat, drought and wildfires.”

Sea surface temperatures hit new highs across Europe, marine heatwaves were reported and “glacial melting reached unprecedented levels.”

 

BREAKING RECORDS

Since the 1980s, the temperature in Europe “has increased twice as much as the global average temperature”, which has far-reaching consequences for its socioeconomic fabric and its ecosystems, they warned.

 

In 2023, the temperature in the region “rose approximately 2.3 °C above the average for the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), the value used as a reference in the Paris Agreement,” they specified.

 

“To reduce dependence on fossil fuels, it is crucial to increase the use of renewable energy and low-carbon energy sources.” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

 

 

 

 

THE RENEWABLES; THE POSITIVE

 

In this sense, the UN agency highlighted that last year “more electricity was generated with renewable sources than with natural gas”, and wind and solar energy produced “22.3% of the electricity in the European Union, exceeding natural gas by 2.3%”.

 

“Climate services are essential to ensure the resilience of energy systems against shocks, plan their operation and take appropriate measures to enhance energy efficiency.”

 

INCREASE IN MORTALITY

The report also revealed to what extent the increase in extreme weather events, such as episodes of intense heat, heavy rainfall and droughts, are increasingly affecting the supply, demand and infrastructure of the European Energy System.

For his part, the director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Carlo Buontempo, warned that the thermal stress that Europe faced in 2023 -due to weather conditions- was “one of the main causes of excess mortality”.

“Unfortunately, it cannot be considered a one-time event or an episode due to an anomaly. According to our current knowledge of the climate system and its evolution, these types of phenomena are part of a trend that will increase the frequency and intensity of extreme episodes of thermal stress throughout the region”.

 

THE METEOROLOGICAL IMPACT ON HEALTH

Meteorological, hydrological and climatic phenomena caused 16.365 fatalities in Europe and directly affected 156.000 people in 2023, according to information from the International Disaster Database.

And, of the total number of victims, the majority died from thermal stress and heat waves, (according to the WMO).

About 67% of the events were related to floods and storms that caused most of the total economic damage, valued at US$2 billion.

 

REFLECTION:

“From 1970 to date, human beings have rapidly devastated biodiversity by 60%.”

In this sense, the United Kingdom has been one of the most affected countries on the European continent.

 

SYNTHESIS:

The approach to the European bloc of the Rishi Sunak government stimulates solutions in a sensitive area of ​​the United Kingdom.

The impact of Climate Change is making farmers and the government lose a lot in health, it is something that is losing control.

Such is the interest in solutions from the UK government that the participation of major speakers and companies for the London Climate Tech Show (November) is accelerated, an event in central London that will dominate the international scene in November days after the climate concerns. who will leave us the G20 and COP29.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION:

London focuses on Climate solutions and bets everything on the world’s largest event on climate issues, after COP29.

 

 

Good deeds and good wishes in the UK!

 

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR:

DIEGO BALVERDE

ECONOMIST

EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK & SENIOR ADVISOR IN GLG